Compare towns
Pelham vs Westford 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 homeowners (86.7%).
Westford has the highest household income ($187k).
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 | Westford | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,449Lowest |
24,690Highest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
42.8±1.2Highest 10% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Westford 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% |
25.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westford 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% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest 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% |
73.9%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% |
5.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$187,198±$10kHighest 132% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$748,500±$32kHighest 125% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,436±$422Highest 72% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 177% above U.S. |
$9,695Highest 211% above U.S. |
$6,554Lowest 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±8 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westford 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 | #20 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pelham School District | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Westford Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
14.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.