Compare towns
Pelham vs Lowell vs Windham 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 people working from home (22.8%).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Lowell | Windham | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,449Lowest |
118,368Highest |
16,038 |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7Highest 7% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Hooksett 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% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hooksett and Pelham 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% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lowell and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 177% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Lowell 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% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Windham 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 | #255 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pelham School District | Lowell | Windham School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Lowell High | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
14.8Highest |
12.8 |
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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.