Compare towns
Hooksett vs Stowe vs Waterbury
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).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Stowe | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
5,285Lowest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Waterbury 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% |
22.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Stowe and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe and Waterbury 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% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$93,618±$33kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Waterbury 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. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,458±$242 3% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Stowe 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. |
$7,161Highest 130% above U.S. |
$6,435Lowest 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waterbury and Hooksett 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% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury and Stowe 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 | — | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Stowe Town School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| 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.