Compare towns

Merrimack vs Concord vs Hooksett

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Merrimack has the most people working from home (21%).
Concord has the most renters (43.2% rent).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).

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.

MeasureMerrimackConcordHooksett
People
Population
28,164
44,375Highest
15,057Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+4.5%
NH: +4.6%
+3%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+10.6%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
41.5±2.2Highest
4% below NH
40.7±1.3Lowest
6% below NH
41.3±1.5
5% below NH
Merrimack and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22%±2.5Highest
NH: 18.2%
17.2%±1.3Lowest
NH: 18.2%
17.4%±2.9
NH: 18.2%
Merrimack and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.8%±1.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
18.7%±1.5Highest
NH: 20.1%
17.3%±2.4
NH: 20.1%
Concord and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
50.2%Highest
NH: 40.6%
42.3%
NH: 40.6%
39.6%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±1.2Lowest
NH: 6%
6%±0.8
NH: 6%
8.9%±1.6Highest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$127,219±$16kHighest
28% above NH
$84,902±$5kLowest
14% below NH
$117,962±$11k
19% above NH
Merrimack and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$458,600±$15kHighest
14% above NH
$350,900±$13kLowest
13% below NH
$407,000±$26k
about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,932±$147Highest
30% above NH
$1,441±$43Lowest
3% below NH
$1,661±$206
11% above NH
Merrimack and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,345Highest
10% above NH
$7,227
8% above NH
$6,554Lowest
about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
34.9%±9.4Lowest
NH: 48.2%
44.1%±5.2Highest
NH: 48.2%
41.7%±16.4
NH: 48.2%
Concord and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
8.9%Highest
NH: 7.2%
3.3%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
88.9%Highest
NH: 72.8%
56.8%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
80.6%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985
6 yrs newer than NH
1969Lowest
10 yrs older than NH
1988Highest
9 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the NH average
23 minLowest
14% below NH
27 minHighest
about the NH average
Work from home
21%±3.3Highest
NH: 16.8%
14.1%±1.8
NH: 16.8%
13.4%±3.1Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #58 of 120 in NH #89 of 120 in NH #30 of 120 in NH
School district Merrimack School District Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District Hooksett School District
High school in town Merrimack High School Concord High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5Lowest
13.0Highest
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NH 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.