Compare towns
Hooksett vs Meredith vs Allenstown
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).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Allenstown has the most affordable homes ($244k 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 | Meredith | Allenstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
6,758 |
4,743Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
39.4±4.7Lowest 9% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.9%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Allenstown and Hooksett 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% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
19.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.7%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$72,500±$21kLowest 27% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$243,600±$69kLowest 39% below NH |
| Meredith 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 |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,281±$397 14% below NH |
| Hooksett and Allenstown 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 |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$4,098Lowest 39% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
57.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Allenstown and Meredith 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% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
11.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Allenstown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 8 photos → |
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.