Compare towns
Lawrence vs Salem vs Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Salem has the most people working from home (16.3%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
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 | Lawrence | Salem | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
30,964 |
15,057Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Salem and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salem and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$110,490±$9k 37% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,625±$146Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
| Lawrence and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | #38 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lawrence | Salem School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Salem High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.