What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).

Hooksett has the most expensive homes ($407k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dorchester	Hooksett
People
Population	410Lowest	15,057Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+10.6% NH: +4.6%
Median age	56±10.5Highest 29% above NH	41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH
Kids under 18	11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2%	17.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2%
	Hooksett and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1%	17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%	39.6%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6%	8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	—	$117,962±$11k 19% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH	$407,000±$26kHighest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,661±$206 11% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,779Lowest 43% below NH	$6,554Highest about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2%	41.7%±16.4Highest NH: 48.2%
	Hooksett and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.6%Highest NH: 7.2%	3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.3%Highest NH: 72.8%	80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH	1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	40 minHighest 50% above NH	27 minLowest about the NH average
Work from home	12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8%	13.4%±3.1Highest NH: 16.8%
	Hooksett and Dorchester 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
School district	—	Hooksett School District
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.