What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hooksett has the most kids (17.4% under 18).

Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).

Orono is a college town. 56.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Orono
People
Population	15,057Highest	11,902Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S.	21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S.
Kids under 18	17.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%	6.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	66.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	56.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S.	$61,528±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S.	$272,600±$40kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S.	$1,255±$112Lowest 11% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,554Highest 110% above U.S.	$4,830Lowest 55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	58.1%±10.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Orono 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%	24.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	46.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.	1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	15 minLowest 42% below U.S.
Work from home	13.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	11.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hooksett and Orono 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	#26 of 133 in ME
School district	Hooksett School District	RSU 26
High school in town	None in town	Orono High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.