Compare towns
Hooksett vs Dedham vs Needham vs Plaistow
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Plaistow has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
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 | Dedham | Needham | Plaistow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057 |
25,237 |
32,459Highest |
7,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
40.1±3.7Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Needham 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% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$108,317±$13kLowest 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$404,500±$32kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,664±$187 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,194 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.3%±16.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Needham 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% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 120 in NH | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #66 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Dedham | Needham | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | Needham High | Timberlane Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.