Compare towns
Hooksett vs Plainfield vs Windham vs Worcester
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 highest household income ($118k).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Plainfield | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
1,314 |
594Lowest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Plainfield 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% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
— | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield 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% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Windham 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Hooksett School District | — | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.