Compare towns
Hooksett vs Northborough vs Reading
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 most affordable homes ($407k median).
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Northborough | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Lowest |
15,750 |
25,612Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Northborough and Reading 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% |
21.6%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Northborough 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
65.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$153,199±$19k 90% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
| Reading and Northborough 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. |
$620,000±$24k 86% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,919±$269 36% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
| Reading and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$7,983 156% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.1%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northborough and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Northborough 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 | #35 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Reading |
| High school in town | None in town | Algonquin Regional High | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.