Compare towns

Brewer vs Ellsworth 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

Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ellsworth has the oldest population (median age 43).
Hooksett has the most people working from home (13.4%).

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.

MeasureBrewerEllsworthHooksett
People
Population
9,652
8,657Lowest
15,057Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
40.1±4.8Lowest
3% above U.S.
43±2.4Highest
11% above U.S.
41.3±1.5
6% above U.S.
Ellsworth and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20.9%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.4%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
17.4%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
22.4%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
22.1%±3.3
U.S.: 17.2%
17.3%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
35%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
39.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
39.6%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
7.7%±2.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.3%±2Lowest
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
$66,613±$9kLowest
17% below U.S.
$77,375±$18k
4% below U.S.
$117,962±$11kHighest
46% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$245,300±$21k
26% below U.S.
$242,300±$22kLowest
27% below U.S.
$407,000±$26kHighest
22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,086±$54
23% below U.S.
$1,017±$195Lowest
28% below U.S.
$1,661±$206Highest
18% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,374
8% above U.S.
$3,262Lowest
5% above U.S.
$6,554Highest
110% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.7%±13.3
U.S.: 51.1%
62.1%±15.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.7%±16.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Ellsworth and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
12.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
9.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
66.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
80.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1959Lowest
21 yrs older than U.S.
1980
same as U.S.
1988Highest
8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
17 minLowest
36% below U.S.
25 min
7% below U.S.
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
Work from home
6.9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
7.1%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
13.4%±3.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #32 of 133 in ME #63 of 133 in ME #30 of 120 in NH
School district Brewer Public Schools Ellsworth Public Schools Hooksett School District
High school in town Brewer High School Ellsworth High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
14.0Highest
12.7Lowest
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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.