Compare towns
Hooksett vs Dracut vs Williston vs Auburn
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).
Dracut has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Auburn has the highest household income ($153k).
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 | Dracut | Williston | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057 |
32,574Highest |
10,144 |
6,119Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Williston and Auburn 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% |
21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Williston 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% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$153,253±$6kHighest 90% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Dracut 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. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$8,092Highest 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Auburn and Williston 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Dracut | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.