Compare towns
Weare vs Gray vs Epping vs Dunbarton
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).
Gray has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Dunbarton has the most expensive homes ($484k median).
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 | Gray | Epping | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,170Highest |
8,429 |
7,430 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4 17% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton 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% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Weare and Dunbarton 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Epping 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. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,300±$26k 19% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,541±$214 9% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Epping and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,272 101% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$8,233Highest 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7Lowest 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #77 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Epping School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.5Highest |
9.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.