What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).

Gilsum has the most affordable homes ($242k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hooksett	Gilsum
People
Population	15,057Highest	716Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6%	-7.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH	44.8±8.1Highest 3% above NH
	Gilsum and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2%	12%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Hooksett and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1%	19.3%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Gilsum and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.6%Highest NH: 40.6%	18.7%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6%	3.1%±2.3Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH	$80,417±$7kLowest 19% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,000±$26kHighest about the NH average	$241,500±$32kLowest 40% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH	$1,575±$894Lowest 6% above NH
	Hooksett and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,554Highest about the NH average	$5,579Lowest 16% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2%	76.5%±55.4Highest NH: 48.2%
	Gilsum and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2%	13.4%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8%	93.5%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH	1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the NH average	27 minLowest about the NH average
Work from home	13.4%±3.1Highest NH: 16.8%	11.9%±8.7Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Hooksett and Gilsum 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	—
School district	Hooksett School District	Monadnock Regional School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

NH 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.