Compare towns

Candia vs Townsend vs Milton vs Hooksett

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Candia has the most homeowners (91.7%).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Milton has the most people working from home (18.9%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).

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.

MeasureCandiaTownsendMiltonHooksett
People
Population
4,134Lowest
9,100
4,538
15,057Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
48.3±3.8Highest
24% above U.S.
40.9±3.3Lowest
5% above U.S.
45.7±2.4
17% above U.S.
41.3±1.5
6% above U.S.
Candia and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
12.8%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.4%±5
U.S.: 22%
17.4%±2.9
U.S.: 22%
Townsend and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
23.1%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.1%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
16.1%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.3%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
Candia and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
27.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
35.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
21.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
39.6%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.7%±2.6
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
2.3%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
8.9%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Hooksett and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$119,737±$37k
48% above U.S.
$121,528±$23kHighest
51% above U.S.
$94,493±$27kLowest
17% above U.S.
$117,962±$11k
46% above U.S.
Townsend and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$415,600±$46k
25% above U.S.
$433,200±$22kHighest
30% above U.S.
$318,400±$34kLowest
4% below U.S.
$407,000±$26k
22% above U.S.
Townsend and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,213±$554Lowest
14% below U.S.
$1,469±$313
4% above U.S.
$1,587±$318
12% above U.S.
$1,661±$206Highest
18% above U.S.
Hooksett and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,100
96% above U.S.
$6,031
93% above U.S.
$5,663Lowest
82% above U.S.
$6,554Highest
110% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±21.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±16.8
U.S.: 51.1%
63.7%±24.9Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.7%±16.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Milton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
1.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
91.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
82%
U.S.: 65.2%
86.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
80.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1980
same as U.S.
1988Highest
8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 min
30% above U.S.
37 minHighest
41% above U.S.
33 min
26% above U.S.
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
Work from home
10.8%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.9%±6.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
13.4%±3.1
U.S.: 15.1%
Milton and Hooksett 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 #41 of 120 in NH #136 of 282 in MA #116 of 120 in NH #30 of 120 in NH
School district Candia School District North Middlesex Milton School District Hooksett School District
High school in town None in town North Middlesex Regional Nute High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
13.1Highest
10.6Lowest
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.