Compare towns
Salem vs Meredith 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
Salem has the most renters (24.4% rent).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Salem | Meredith | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,964Highest |
6,758Lowest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Hooksett and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,490±$9k 12% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
| Hooksett and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,300±$16k 18% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Meredith and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$146 9% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
| Hooksett and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,992Highest 5% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±9.6 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.9 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Salem 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Salem School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Salem High School | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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| 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.