What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cambridge has the most expensive homes ($1092k median).

Hooksett has the most homeowners (80.6%).

Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% 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.

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

Measure	Cambridge	Hooksett
People
Population	118,796Highest	15,057Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	30.4±0.4Lowest 22% below U.S.	41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S.
Kids under 18	12.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	17.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	12.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	80.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	25.1%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	8.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$130,748±$4kHighest 62% above U.S.	$117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S.
	Cambridge and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,092,100±$42kHighest 228% above U.S.	$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,787±$48Highest 97% above U.S.	$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,802Lowest 54% above U.S.	$6,554Highest 110% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45%±2.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Cambridge and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	33.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S.	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	30.8%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#122 of 282 in MA	#30 of 120 in NH
School district	Cambridge	Hooksett School District
High school in town	Cambridge Rindge and Latin	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3	—
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.