Compare towns
Hooksett vs Pelham vs Stoneham
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).
Pelham has the highest household income ($136k).
Stoneham has the most expensive homes ($672k median).
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 | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057 |
14,449Lowest |
23,355Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Stoneham 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 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stoneham 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$113,964±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Hooksett 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. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$671,900±$26kHighest 102% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554 110% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$6,523Lowest 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stoneham and Pelham 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 | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Pelham School District | Stoneham |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| 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.