Compare towns
Goffstown vs Hooksett vs New Boston vs Merrimack
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Goffstown has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
Hooksett has the most renters (19.4% rent).
New Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.8%).
Merrimack has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Goffstown | Hooksett | New Boston | Merrimack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,513 |
15,057 |
6,165Lowest |
28,164Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+14.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±3.1 5% below NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
38.8±3.4Lowest 10% below NH |
41.5±2.2Highest 4% below NH |
| Merrimack and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
27.2%±5.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
| New Boston and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
17%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Goffstown and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.4% NH: 40.6% |
50.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6 NH: 6% |
3.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,958±$12kLowest 15% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$154,250±$25kHighest 56% above NH |
$127,219±$16k 28% above NH |
| New Boston and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,400±$20kLowest 6% below NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$481,100±$59kHighest 20% above NH |
$458,600±$15k 14% above NH |
| New Boston and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,231±$161 17% below NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,193±$111Lowest 20% below NH |
$1,932±$147Highest 30% above NH |
| Merrimack and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,941 4% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$8,181Highest 23% above NH |
$7,345 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±20Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
22.8%±20.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Goffstown and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
6.3% NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88% NH: 72.8% |
88.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
36 minHighest 33% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 13.8%±2.2 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±6.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| New Boston and Merrimack 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 | #35 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #21 of 120 in NH | #58 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Goffstown School District | Hooksett School District | New Boston School District | Merrimack School District |
| High school in town | Goffstown High School | None in town | None in town | Merrimack High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
— | — | 12.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.