Compare towns
Cambridge vs Hooksett vs Belmont
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 (66.5% rent).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Belmont has the highest household income ($183k).
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.
| Measure | Cambridge | Hooksett | Belmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,796Highest |
15,057Lowest |
27,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 30.4±0.4Lowest 22% below U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
42.9±1Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Belmont and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Belmont and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 25.1%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,748±$4k 62% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$183,137±$14kHighest 127% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,092,100±$42k 228% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$1,159,000±$33kHighest 248% above U.S. |
| Belmont and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,787±$48Highest 97% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$2,527±$105 79% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,802Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±2.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Belmont and Cambridge 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% |
3.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 33.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.8%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Belmont and Cambridge 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 | #122 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #3 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cambridge | Hooksett School District | Belmont |
| High school in town | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | None in town | Belmont High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 15.8Highest |
| 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.