Compare towns
Brewer vs Gray vs Hooksett vs Windham
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
8,429Lowest |
15,057 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% 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. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Gray and Windham 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% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Windham 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%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Gray 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% |
44.2% 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% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest 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. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% 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 | $3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest 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. |
1985 5 yrs newer than 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 |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Hooksett 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 | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hooksett School District | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.5 |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.