Compare towns
Dummer vs Hooksett vs Pelham vs Stark
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummer has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Hooksett has the most renters (19.4% rent).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Stark has the most affordable homes ($198k 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 | Dummer | Hooksett | Pelham | Stark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 299Lowest |
15,057Highest |
14,449 |
419 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3% NH: +4.6% |
-14%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4 24% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
41.5±2.7 4% below NH |
58.8±3.6Highest 36% above NH |
| Stark and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±6.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Pelham and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.2%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Stark and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
40%Highest NH: 40.6% |
17.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±5.7Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
3.6%±4.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$21k 8% below NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$71,750±$23kLowest 28% below NH |
| Pelham and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,200±$51k 40% below NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$197,700±$34kLowest 51% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
— |
| Hooksett and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,898 57% below NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$2,636Lowest 60% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.7%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
92.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1968Lowest 11 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
30 min 10% above NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 6.8%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.9%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Pelham and Stark 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Hooksett School District | Pelham School District | Stark School District |
| High school 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 |
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.