Compare towns
Hooksett vs Strafford 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 renters (19.4% rent).
Strafford has the oldest population (median age 51.4).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Strafford | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Highest |
1,372Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Pelham 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% |
22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford 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% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kLowest 37% 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. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett and Pelham 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. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Strafford 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% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Strafford 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Strafford School District | 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.