Compare towns
Hooksett vs Ripton vs Chester vs Auburn
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).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Auburn has the most people working from home (26.5%).
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 | Ripton | Chester | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
508Lowest |
2,992 |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Chester and Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Auburn 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$153,253±$6kHighest 90% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
— | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Auburn 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. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$8,092Highest 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Auburn and Ripton 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.