Compare towns
Hooksett vs Epping vs Dover 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 renters (19.4% rent).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Pelham has the most expensive homes ($553k 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 | Epping | Dover | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
7,430 |
1,466Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
| Dover and Epping 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% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Epping 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% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Epping 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% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$332,900±$55kLowest about the U.S. average |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Hooksett 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. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$4,510Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Pelham 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Lowest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Dover 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | — | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Epping School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
— | 10.4Highest |
| 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.