Compare towns
Hooksett vs Reading vs Westford
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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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.
| Measure | Hooksett | Reading | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Lowest |
25,612Highest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.8±1.2 10% above U.S. |
| Reading and Westford 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% |
22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westford and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% |
66.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
73.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$187,198±$10kHighest 132% above U.S. |
| Westford and Reading 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. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$748,500±$32k 125% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$2,436±$422Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Westford and Reading 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. |
$9,320 199% above U.S. |
$9,695Highest 211% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westford and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Westford 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Reading | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.