Compare towns
Hooksett vs Pelham vs Sunapee
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).
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 | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
14,449 |
3,416Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3% NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
41.5±2.7 4% below NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Pelham and Hooksett 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% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40% NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$101,393±$20kLowest about the NH average |
| 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±$26k about the NH average |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Sunapee 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 |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham 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 NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
30 min 10% above NH |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Pelham School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.