Compare towns
Hooksett vs Shelburne vs Pelham
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).
Shelburne has the most people working from home (31.4%).
Pelham has the highest household income ($136k).
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 | Shelburne | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
7,969Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
50.9±3.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Shelburne 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% |
29.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$115,963±$16kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Hooksett 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. |
$588,100±$44kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
| Shelburne and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,442±$589 about the U.S. average |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett and Shelburne 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. |
$8,173 162% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Lowest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.4%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shelburne and Pelham 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 | #8 of 70 in VT | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
| 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.