Compare towns
Hooksett vs Lawrence vs Salem
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).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Salem has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Lawrence | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Lowest |
88,736Highest |
30,964 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Salem 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% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salem 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$110,490±$9k 37% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,625±$146Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Lawrence 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. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Lawrence | Salem School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Lawrence High School | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.