Compare towns
Dracut vs Hooksett vs Pelham vs South Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has the most renters (20.2% rent).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
South Hooksett has the youngest population (median age 35.2).
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 | Dracut | Hooksett | Pelham | South Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
15,057 |
14,449 |
5,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
35.2±3.6Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Dracut and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$130,000±$15k 61% above U.S. |
| Pelham and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$433,200±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,471±$217 4% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$6,801 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±25Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dracut | Hooksett School District | Pelham School District | — |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | Pelham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.