Compare towns
Pelham vs Wakefield 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 kids (22% under 18).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
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 | Wakefield | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,449Lowest |
27,793Highest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Hooksett 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% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$6,554Lowest 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pelham School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
10.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.