Compare towns
Fall River vs Hooksett vs Methuen vs Westport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Hooksett has the most people working from home (13.4%).
Methuen has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
Westport has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
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 | Fall River | Hooksett | Methuen | Westport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
15,057Lowest |
53,475 |
16,484 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
50.7±1.8Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Methuen and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$96,000±$9k 19% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$521,900±$38kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Westport and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,425±$356 about the U.S. average |
| Methuen and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 27% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
$3,719Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±19.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westport and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hooksett and Methuen 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #236 of 282 in MA | #195 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Hooksett School District | Methuen | Westport |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | Methuen High | Westport Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.