Compare towns
Hooksett vs Methuen vs Fall River vs Barrington
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).
Methuen has the most expensive homes ($500k median).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Barrington has the most people working from home (18.7%).
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 | Methuen | Fall River | Barrington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057 |
53,475 |
94,082Highest |
9,489Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
38.7±2.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Barrington and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hooksett and Methuen 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% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Methuen 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. |
$113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$110,323±$14k 37% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Methuen 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. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$399,100±$30k 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,867±$194Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Barrington and Methuen 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. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$7,121Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.1%±25.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barrington and Fall River 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% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barrington 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 | #236 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #65 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Methuen | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Barrington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Methuen High | B M C Durfee High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
11.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.