Compare towns

Bow vs Brewer vs Hooksett

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).

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.

MeasureBowBrewerHooksett
People
Population
8,335Lowest
9,652
15,057Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2Highest
7% above U.S.
40.1±4.8Lowest
3% above U.S.
41.3±1.5
6% above U.S.
Bow and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
25%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
20.9%±4.3
U.S.: 22%
17.4%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Bow and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
22.4%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.3%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Brewer and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
60.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
35%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
39.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
7.7%±2.9
U.S.: 6.4%
8.9%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Hooksett and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$172,857±$16kHighest
114% above U.S.
$66,613±$9kLowest
17% below U.S.
$117,962±$11k
46% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34kHighest
52% above U.S.
$245,300±$21kLowest
26% below U.S.
$407,000±$26k
22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178
9% above U.S.
$1,086±$54Lowest
23% below U.S.
$1,661±$206Highest
18% above U.S.
Hooksett and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,584Highest
207% above U.S.
$3,374Lowest
8% above U.S.
$6,554
110% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
55.7%±13.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.7%±16.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Brewer and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
2.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
12.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
59.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1959Lowest
21 yrs older than U.S.
1988Highest
8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
17 minLowest
36% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
22.7%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
13.4%±3.1
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #26 of 120 in NH #32 of 133 in ME #30 of 120 in NH
School district Bow School District Brewer Public Schools Hooksett School District
High school in town Bow High School Brewer High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Lowest
14.0Highest
—
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.