Compare towns
Hooksett vs Sandown vs Auburn vs Barrington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hooksett has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Barrington has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
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 | Sandown | Auburn | Barrington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
6,628 |
6,119Lowest |
9,489 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
40.8±3.7 6% below NH |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
38.7±2.3Lowest 11% below NH |
| Auburn and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Barrington and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Hooksett and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
5.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$135,040±$25k 36% above NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
$110,323±$14kLowest 11% above NH |
| Auburn and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$483,400±$44k 20% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$399,100±$30kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Lowest 11% above NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
$1,867±$194 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$8,801Highest 32% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
$7,121 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
63.1%±25.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Sandown and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.3% NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Auburn 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 | #71 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH | #65 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Auburn School District | Barrington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.