Compare towns
Hooksett vs Henniker vs Dover vs Goffstown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Goffstown has the most homeowners (82.7%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Henniker | Dover | Goffstown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057 |
6,197Lowest |
33,364Highest |
18,513 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Highest 5% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
41.3±3.1Highest 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
16%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Hooksett and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
19%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Goffstown 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
14.5%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$113,958±$12k 15% above NH |
| 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 about the NH average |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$377,400±$20k 6% below NH |
| Dover and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,231±$161 17% below NH |
| Hooksett and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$6,941 4% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
58.1%±20Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Goffstown and Dover 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% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
6.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±2.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Henniker 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #35 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Henniker School District | Dover School District | Goffstown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Goffstown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7Highest |
12.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.