Compare towns
Hooksett vs Epping vs Methuen vs Goffstown
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 highest household income ($118k).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Methuen has the most expensive homes ($500k median).
Goffstown has the most affordable homes ($377k 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 | Methuen | Goffstown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057 |
7,430Lowest |
53,475Highest |
18,513 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.3±3.1 6% above U.S. |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Methuen 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%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Goffstown 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$113,958±$12k 41% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Goffstown 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. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$377,400±$20kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,231±$161Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Methuen and Epping 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. |
$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$6,941Highest 123% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.1%±20 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Goffstown 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% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #236 of 282 in MA | #35 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Epping School District | Methuen | Goffstown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | Methuen High | Goffstown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.