Compare towns

Gray vs Hooksett vs Pelham

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Hooksett has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).

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.

MeasureGrayHooksettPelham
People
Population
8,429Lowest
15,057Highest
14,449
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.4±4.5Highest
12% above U.S.
41.3±1.5Lowest
6% above U.S.
41.5±2.7
7% above U.S.
Gray and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19%±4
U.S.: 22%
17.4%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
Pelham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.3%±4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.3%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
16.5%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Gray and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
44.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
39.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
40%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±2.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
8.9%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.9%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$95,236±$8kLowest
18% above U.S.
$117,962±$11k
46% above U.S.
$135,956±$19kHighest
68% above U.S.
Pelham and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$363,700±$20kLowest
9% above U.S.
$407,000±$26k
22% above U.S.
$552,600±$27kHighest
66% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,371±$89Lowest
about the U.S. average
$1,661±$206Highest
18% above U.S.
$1,425±$88
about the U.S. average
Hooksett and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,683Lowest
18% above U.S.
$6,554
110% above U.S.
$8,634Highest
177% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56.4%±24
U.S.: 51.1%
41.7%±16.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
67.3%±12.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Pelham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
80.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Lowest
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1988Highest
8 yrs newer than U.S.
1987
7 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
8% above U.S.
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
30 minHighest
12% above U.S.
Work from home
12.3%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
13.4%±3.1
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #10 of 133 in ME #30 of 120 in NH #48 of 120 in NH
School district RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences Hooksett School District Pelham School District
High school in town Gray-New Gloucester High School None in town Pelham High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5Highest
—
10.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.