What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k 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	New Castle
People
Population	15,057Highest	827Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6%	+3.3%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH	62.8±6Highest 45% above NH
Kids under 18	17.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2%	12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Hooksett and New Castle 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%	44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6%	68.8%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6%	0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,962±$11kLowest 19% above NH	$176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average	$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,661±$206Lowest 11% above NH	$3,501Highest 135% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,554Lowest about the NH average	$8,509Highest 28% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.7%±16.4Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Hooksett and New Castle 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%	4.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8%	93%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH	1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the NH average	33 minHighest 22% above NH
Work from home	13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8%	40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#30 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Hooksett School District	New Castle 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.