Compare towns
Ira vs Hooksett vs Castleton vs Sandgate
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).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Ira | Hooksett | Castleton | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
15,057Highest |
4,453 |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 39% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Sandgate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 33% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$3,167 about the U.S. average |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Hooksett 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Hooksett School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.