Compare towns
Andover vs Hooksett vs Plaistow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most people working from home (30.4%).
Hooksett has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Plaistow has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
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 | Andover | Hooksett | Plaistow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,652Highest |
15,057 |
7,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1Highest 10% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
40.1±3.7Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Andover and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Andover and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plaistow and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,606±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$108,317±$13kLowest 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$404,500±$32kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,664±$187 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,554Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$7,194 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.3%±16.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plaistow and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #68 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #66 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Hooksett School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | None in town | Timberlane Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.