Compare towns
Chelsea vs Hooksett vs Brookfield
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 the most affordable homes ($261k median).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,223Lowest |
15,057Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.1±12.1Highest 39% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
| Chelsea and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Chelsea and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,913±$13kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $260,900±$39kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$467 8% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,762Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.3%±33.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chelsea and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.6%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #30 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Hooksett School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.