What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).

Cohasset has the most expensive homes ($1319k 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.

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

Measure	Hooksett	Cohasset
People
Population	15,057Highest	8,427Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S.	43.9±4.4Highest 13% above U.S.
	Cohasset and Hooksett 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%	27.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.8%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Cohasset 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%	76.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.8%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S.	$199,306±$53kHighest 147% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S.	$1,318,900±$165kHighest 296% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S.	$2,755±$399Highest 95% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,554Lowest 110% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.6%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Cohasset and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	83%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.
Work from home	13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	25.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#30 of 120 in NH	#41 of 282 in MA
School district	Hooksett School District	Cohasset
High school in town	None in town	Cohasset High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.0
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.