Compare towns
Bow vs Dracut 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
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dracut has the most renters (20.2% rent).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Pelham has the most expensive homes ($553k median).
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 | Bow | Dracut | Hooksett | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
32,574Highest |
15,057 |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Bow 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% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Pelham 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% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut 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% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest 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 | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Dracut and Hooksett 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. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Dracut 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% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 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 | 27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dracut | Hooksett School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dracut Senior High | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.9Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.