Compare towns
Hooksett vs Pelham vs Sandown 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 affordable homes ($407k median).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
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 | Pelham | Sandown | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
14,449 |
6,628 |
6,119Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+10.3% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
41.5±2.7 4% below NH |
40.8±3.7Lowest 6% below NH |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
| Auburn and Pelham 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% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Sandown and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hooksett and Pelham 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% |
40% NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest 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 |
$135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
$135,040±$25k 36% above NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
| Auburn and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$552,600±$27k 37% above NH |
$483,400±$44k 20% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Auburn and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$8,634 30% above NH |
$8,801Highest 32% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Sandown 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% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
82.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
30 min 10% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Auburn 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #71 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Pelham School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.