Compare towns
Plaistow vs Durham vs Exeter 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
Plaistow has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plaistow | Durham | Exeter | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,861Lowest |
10,681 |
16,151Highest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7 7% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Plaistow and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,317±$13kLowest 9% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
| Hooksett and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$32kLowest about the NH average |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
| Durham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$187 12% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
| Exeter and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,194 8% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 7% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Durham 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | — | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.