Compare towns
Brighton vs Hooksett vs Newark vs Bellows Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Newark has the most homeowners (90.8%).
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Brighton | Hooksett | Newark | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,167 |
15,057Highest |
727Lowest |
2,891 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.4±6 6% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Brighton and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±3 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brighton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$72,929±$7k 10% below U.S. |
$56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$229,900±$23k 31% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,708±$97Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
| Newark and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$3,771 21% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
7.1%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 22% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±8.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newark 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 | — | #30 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Brighton School District | Hooksett School District | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.