Compare towns
Townsend vs Plaistow vs South 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
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Plaistow has the most people working from home (13.6%).
South Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Townsend | Plaistow | South Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
7,861 |
5,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Highest 5% above U.S. |
40.1±3.7 3% above U.S. |
35.2±3.6Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plaistow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$108,317±$13kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$130,000±$15kHighest 61% above U.S. |
| South Hooksett and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$404,500±$32kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$433,200±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,664±$187Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,471±$217 4% above U.S. |
| Plaistow and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$7,194Highest 131% above U.S. |
$6,801 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.3%±16.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±25Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plaistow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plaistow and Townsend 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #66 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | Timberlane Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Timberlane Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.