Compare towns
Boston vs Hooksett vs Milton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Boston | Hooksett | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
15,057Lowest |
28,587 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
41.1±1.8 6% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
25.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hooksett and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
71.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$188,529±$15kHighest 134% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$933,200±$31kHighest 180% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,474±$281Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$9,677Highest 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Boston and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Hooksett School District | Milton |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | None in town | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
| 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.