Compare towns
Townsend vs Epping vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Townsend | Epping | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
7,430Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
18%±1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Manchester and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Townsend and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Epping and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,564±$37 11% above U.S. |
| Epping and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$5,922Lowest 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Epping School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Epping High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
9.3Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.