Compare towns
Hooksett vs Bedford 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
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Bedford has the most expensive homes ($899k median).
Pelham has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Hooksett | Bedford | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
14,727 |
14,449Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.3±1.6Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Pelham 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% |
20.8%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bedford and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$172,400±$23kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$898,500±$43kHighest 170% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$2,622±$327Highest 86% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 120 in NH | #7 of 282 in MA | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Bedford | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bedford High | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
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.