Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Hooksett vs Wilder vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Hooksett | Wilder | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
15,057Highest |
3,087 |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9k 7% below U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #30 of 120 in NH | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Hooksett School District | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.