What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).

Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bridgewater	Hooksett
People
Population	980Lowest	5,876Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+27.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S.	42.6±2Lowest 10% above U.S.
Kids under 18	12.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	14.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Hooksett and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.2%±0.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	41.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Hooksett and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S.	$101,053±$25kHighest 25% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S.	$348,100±$32kHighest 5% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S.	$1,811±$283Highest 28% above U.S.
	Hooksett and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,418Lowest 10% above U.S.	$4,960Highest 59% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	46%±20.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bridgewater and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	72.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hooksett and Bridgewater 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	—	#30 of 120 in NH
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.