Compare towns
Brookline vs Durham vs Hooksett vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Brookline | Durham | Hooksett | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
10,681 |
15,057Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hooksett and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$112,070±$25kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$498,000±$45k 50% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,302±$211Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Durham 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | — | Hooksett School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.1 |
| 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.