Compare towns
Hooksett vs Calais vs Plainfield
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
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 | Calais | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
1,713 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Calais and Plainfield 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% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554 110% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$4,806Lowest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Calais 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% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais and Plainfield 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 | — | — |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.