Compare towns
Dedham vs Hooksett vs Pelham vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
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 | Dedham | Hooksett | Pelham | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
15,057Highest |
14,449 |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ellsworth and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18k 38% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below 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 | $356,400±$33k 7% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% 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 | $3,942 26% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #30 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Hooksett School District | Pelham School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Pelham High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.