Compare towns
Cambridge vs Hooksett vs Fairfax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the most renters (29.7% rent).
Hooksett has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Fairfax has the most people working from home (26.7%).
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 | Cambridge | Hooksett | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,767Lowest |
15,057Highest |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.4±1.8Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
38.8±3.3 about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfax and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hooksett and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,344±$19kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$128,963±$29kHighest 60% above U.S. |
| Fairfax and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,000±$38kLowest 3% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$378,200±$22k 14% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,183±$66 16% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,080±$131Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,910Lowest 57% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$5,497 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.6%±7.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±33.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cambridge and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #25 of 70 in VT | #30 of 120 in NH | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cambridge School District | Hooksett School District | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.