What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).

Athol has the most kids (25.2% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hooksett	Athol
People
Population	15,057Highest	8,801Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S.	36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S.
	Hooksett and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hooksett and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S.	$67,394±$8kLowest 17% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S.	$248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S.	$1,120±$173Lowest 21% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,554Highest 110% above U.S.	$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Athol and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	21%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.	1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	13.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hooksett and Athol 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	#256 of 282 in MA
School district	Hooksett School District	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.