Compare towns
Hooksett vs Westford 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).
Westford has the highest household income ($187k).
Pelham has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Westford | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057 |
24,690Highest |
14,449Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.8±1.2Highest 10% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
| Westford and Pelham 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% |
25.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Westford and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hooksett and Pelham 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% |
73.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$187,198±$10kHighest 132% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$748,500±$32kHighest 125% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$2,436±$422Highest 72% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$9,695Highest 211% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±8 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Westford 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westford 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 | #20 of 282 in MA | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Westford Academy | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.