Compare towns
Bath vs Gray vs Hooksett vs Brunswick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 40).
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 | Bath | Gray | Hooksett | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
8,429Lowest |
15,057 |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
40±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bath and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$74,952±$6k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$376,300±$15k 13% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,469±$99 4% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,756 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brunswick and Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #30 of 120 in NH | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hooksett School District | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.5 |
— | 10.9Lowest |
| 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.