Compare towns

Hooksett vs Pelham vs Wilbraham

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 renters (19.4% rent).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Wilbraham has the oldest population (median age 44.3).

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.

MeasureHooksettPelhamWilbraham
People
Population
15,057Highest
14,449Lowest
14,572
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+10.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.3±1.5Lowest
6% above U.S.
41.5±2.7
7% above U.S.
44.3±2.7Highest
14% above U.S.
Wilbraham 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%±2.7
U.S.: 22%
23.2%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
Wilbraham and Pelham 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%
23%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Wilbraham 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%
51.9%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%
5.2%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$117,962±$11kLowest
46% above U.S.
$135,956±$19kHighest
68% above U.S.
$122,051±$14k
51% above U.S.
Pelham and Wilbraham 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±$27kHighest
66% above U.S.
$416,000±$25k
25% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,661±$206Highest
18% above U.S.
$1,425±$88
about the U.S. average
$1,175±$241Lowest
17% below U.S.
Hooksett and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,554Lowest
110% above U.S.
$8,634Highest
177% above U.S.
$6,658
113% 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%
53.1%±23.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Pelham and Wilbraham 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%
3.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.6%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
88.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1988Highest
8 yrs newer than U.S.
1987
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1966Lowest
14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
30 minHighest
12% above U.S.
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
Work from home
13.4%±3.1
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.9%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #30 of 120 in NH #48 of 120 in NH #88 of 282 in MA
School district Hooksett School District Pelham School District Hampden-Wilbraham
High school in town None in town Pelham High School Minnechaug Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.4Lowest
14.2Highest
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.