Compare towns
Cornish vs Hooksett vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Salem has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Cornish | Hooksett | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
15,057 |
30,964Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
| Cornish and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.2%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Hooksett and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
38.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
$110,490±$9k 12% above NH |
| Hooksett and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$473,300±$16kHighest 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
$1,625±$146 9% above NH |
| Hooksett and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
$6,992Highest 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Salem and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
75.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
29 minHighest 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Salem 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 | — | #30 of 120 in NH | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Hooksett School District | Salem School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.