Compare towns
Windham vs Hooksett vs Middlebury vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Grafton has the oldest population (median age 59.2).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Windham | Hooksett | Middlebury | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
15,057Highest |
9,175 |
666 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
59.2±4.4Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.1%±5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$76,111±$7kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$343,200±$85kLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Middlebury and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,288±$174 9% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 91% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,843Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±69.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Grafton and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Middlebury 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 | — | #30 of 120 in NH | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Hooksett School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Athens Grafton School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.