Compare towns
Hooksett vs Exeter vs Pittston
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).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Pittston has the most affordable homes ($239k 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 | Exeter | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057 |
16,151Highest |
3,093Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.4±5.9 6% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±7.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Hooksett and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Pittston 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$86,614±$18kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$238,700±$66kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,080±$593Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Exeter 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. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$1,909Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±34.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Pittston 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% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Hooksett 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.