Compare towns
Hooksett vs Orange vs Wendell
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).
Orange has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Wendell has the most people working from home (16.8%).
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 | Orange | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
7,573 |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Wendell and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Hooksett 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% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wendell and Orange 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% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Wendell 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. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$290,300±$31k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,239±$519 12% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,519 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wendell and Hooksett 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% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wendell 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.