Compare towns
Walpole vs Hooksett vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walpole has the most people working from home (28.2%).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Walpole | Hooksett | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,388Highest |
15,057Lowest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
42.8±1.2Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Westford and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westford and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hooksett and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
73.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,500±$16k 112% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$187,198±$10kHighest 132% above U.S. |
| Westford and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $687,100±$20k 107% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$748,500±$32kHighest 125% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,205±$222 56% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$2,436±$422Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Westford and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,523 173% above U.S. |
$6,554Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$9,695Highest 211% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westford and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walpole and Westford 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Hooksett School District | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Walpole High | None in town | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.