Compare towns
Brewer vs Hooksett vs Gardiner vs Bath
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).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Bath has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Hooksett | Gardiner | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,652 |
15,057Highest |
6,088Lowest |
8,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
42±3.6 8% above U.S. |
45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Bath and Gardiner 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% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 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. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$71,782±$10k 11% below U.S. |
$69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$221,600±$19kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,113±$191 21% below U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374 8% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$2,742Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$3,847 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer and Bath 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% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Gardiner 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #36 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Hooksett School District | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Gardiner Area High School | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
— | 11.8Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.