Compare towns
Brookline vs Hooksett vs Worcester 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
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Hooksett | Worcester | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
15,057Highest |
831 |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% below 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 | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Brookline 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 | — | Hooksett School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school 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.