Compare towns
Chester vs Hooksett vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most homeowners (97.7%).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Chester | Hooksett | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,300Lowest |
15,057Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8 9% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Chester and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Chester and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Chester and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Chester 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 | #90 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chester School District | Hooksett School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.