Compare towns
Suncook vs Bow vs Hooksett vs Pembroke
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suncook has the most renters (40.5% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Pembroke has the oldest population (median age 41.9).
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 | Suncook | Bow | Hooksett | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,432Lowest |
8,335 |
15,057Highest |
7,438 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±8.1Lowest 12% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
41.9±3.3Highest 3% below NH |
| Pembroke and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
24%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
32.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,836±$25kLowest 19% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$89,519±$22k 10% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,100±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,091±$317Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
$1,218±$354 18% below NH |
| Hooksett and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,975 5% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$7,589 14% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.2%±21.7 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Pembroke and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.9% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
67.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 28 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
25 min 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.5%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Pembroke 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #85 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Hooksett School District | Pembroke School District |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | None in town | Pembroke Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.