Compare towns
Brewer vs Gray vs Hooksett vs Ellsworth
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).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Brewer | Gray | Hooksett | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
8,429Lowest |
15,057Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Gray and Ellsworth 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% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 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% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Lowest 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. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Gray 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hooksett and Gray 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #30 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hooksett School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.5Lowest |
— | 12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.