Compare towns
Pelham vs Sandown 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
Pelham has the most expensive homes ($553k median).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
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 | Sandown | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,449 |
6,628Lowest |
15,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7Highest 4% below NH |
40.8±3.7Lowest 6% below NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Sandown 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 NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$135,040±$25k 36% above NH |
$117,962±$11kLowest 19% above NH |
| Pelham and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$483,400±$44k 20% above NH |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Pelham and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
| Sandown and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 30% above NH |
$8,801Highest 32% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3 NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.5% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1986Lowest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 10% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Pelham 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 | #71 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pelham School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.