Compare towns
Pelham vs Bow vs Dracut 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
Pelham has the most expensive homes ($553k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dracut has the most renters (20.2% rent).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
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 | Pelham | Bow | Dracut | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,449 |
8,335Lowest |
32,574Highest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 177% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Bow 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pelham School District | Bow School District | Dracut | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Bow High School | Dracut Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8 |
12.9Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.