Compare towns
Hooksett vs Northwood vs Auburn
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 most renters (19.4% rent).
Northwood has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Northwood | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
4,688Lowest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
42.4±7.8 about the NH average |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
| Auburn and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Auburn and Northwood 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% |
21.5%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Northwood 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% NH: 40.6% |
38.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kLowest 19% above NH |
$129,375±$23k 31% above NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
| Auburn and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$363,000±$13kLowest 10% below NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,201±$372Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554 about the NH average |
$5,806Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,092Highest 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.7%±29.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27 NH: 48.2% |
| Hooksett and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.3% NH: 7.2% |
7.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
89% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
37 minHighest 37% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Northwood 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 | #24 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.