Compare towns
Weare vs Danvers vs Epping vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Weare has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Chester has the highest household income ($142k).
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 | Weare | Danvers | Epping | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,170 |
28,098Highest |
7,430 |
5,300Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4 17% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
47.2±3.8Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Chester and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Weare and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,271±$17k 46% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$142,212±$19kHighest 76% above U.S. |
| Chester and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,300±$26kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$552,300±$42k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,541±$214Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
— |
| Danvers and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,272Lowest 101% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$8,464Highest 171% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19%±72.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
35 min 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #84 of 120 in NH | #91 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Epping School District | Chester School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.8Highest |
9.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.