Compare towns
Bennington vs Hooksett vs Pelham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Bennington | Hooksett | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
15,057 |
14,449Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Bennington 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | #30 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Hooksett School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.