Compare towns
Mendon vs Hooksett vs Strafford vs Cornwall
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
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 | Mendon | Hooksett | Strafford | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
15,057Highest |
1,372 |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$6,726 116% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Mendon 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Hooksett School District | Strafford School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.



