Compare towns
Colrain vs Hooksett vs Pelham vs Oakham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colrain has the most affordable homes ($284k median).
Hooksett has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Oakham has the most homeowners (91.6%).
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.
| Measure | Colrain | Hooksett | Pelham | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627Lowest |
15,057Highest |
14,449 |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
49±2.3 26% above U.S. |
| Colrain and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10kLowest about the U.S. average |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$102,000±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$420,100±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 38% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$4,103Lowest 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #30 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Hooksett School District | Pelham School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Pelham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.