Compare towns
Salem vs Sutton vs Hooksett vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most renters (24.4% rent).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Sutton | Hooksett | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 30,964Highest |
9,452Lowest |
15,057 |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Salem and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,490±$9kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Windham and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,300±$16k 42% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$146 15% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,992 124% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$6,554Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Windham 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Salem School District | Sutton | Hooksett School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Salem High School | Sutton High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.6 |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.