Compare towns
Chelsea vs Hooksett vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chelsea has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.9%).
Hooksett has the most homeowners (80.6%).
Boston has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Chelsea | Hooksett | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 39,908 |
15,057Lowest |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 34.4±1.3 12% below U.S. |
41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±0.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,179±$8kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$97,344±$2k 21% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $493,500±$24k 48% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$731,700±$10kHighest 120% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$96 38% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,321Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,456 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 26%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941Lowest 39 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±0.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #280 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chelsea | Hooksett School District | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Chelsea High | None in town | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
— | 18.7Highest |
| 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.