Compare towns
Exeter vs Hooksett vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Hooksett | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
15,057 |
9,100Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hooksett School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.