Compare towns
Hooksett vs Plaistow 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).
Plaistow has the most people working from home (13.6%).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
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 | Plaistow | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057 |
7,861Lowest |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
40.1±3.7 3% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Plaistow 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% |
19.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Plaistow and Worcester 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% |
17.4%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plaistow 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$108,317±$13k 34% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$404,500±$32k 22% above U.S. |
$374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,664±$187Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,487±$38Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Plaistow and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554 110% above U.S. |
$7,194Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.3%±16.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plaistow and Worcester 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% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plaistow and Hooksett 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | None in town | Timberlane Regional High School | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.