Money's list of America's best small towns


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66. Hooksett, NH
Hooksett
WINNER
Top 100 rank: 66
Population: 13,900
Compare Hooksett to Top 10 Best Places
It's a tradition for presidential candidates to visit Robie's during the New Hampshire primaries. The rustic country store in Hookset is emblematic of the town, which retains a rural character.

Fields and farms are gone, but the Merrimack river is popular for rowing and fishing.

Real estate troubles hit New Hampshire early, so sales are starting to look up now. Housing construction continues, particularly retirement developments, but there's also growth in condos and single-family homes. --R.G.

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Hooksett stats
Median family income
(per year)		 $85,993 $97,441
Job growth %
(2000-2008)*		 25.93% 19.58%
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Median home price $218,933 $262,148
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Test scores reading
(% above/below state average)		 17.9% 25.6%
Test scores math
(% above/below average)		 11.7% 28.2%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) 13 1
Property crime incidents (per 1,000) 323 19
Restaurants
(within 15 miles)		 709 1,923
High temp in July ° F* 81.3° 85.5°
Low temp in Jan ° F* 8.7° 21.0°
Median age 35.6 36.6
Median family income
(per year)		 $85,993 $97,441
Family purchasing power
(annual, cost-of-living adjusted)		 $72,691 $95,041
State sales tax N.A. 5.63%
State income tax rate
(highest bracket)		 5.00%I 6.06%
State income tax rate
(lowest bracket)		 5.00%I 3.07%
Auto insurance premiums
(Average price quotes, for the state)		 $1,460 $1,744
Job growth %
(2000-2008)*		 25.93% 19.58%
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Median home price $218,933 $262,148
Average property taxes
(2007)		 $4,710 $3,853
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Colleges, universities and
professional schools (within 30 miles)		 14 20
Test scores reading
(% above/below state average)		 17.9% 25.6%
Test scores math
(% above/below average)		 11.7% 28.2%
% students attending public/private
schools (located within town limits)		 100.0/0.0 90.1/9.9
Air quality index*
(% of days AQI ranked as good)		 94.0% 78.6%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) 13 1
Property crime incidents (per 1,000) 323 19
Median commute time (in minutes) 20.9 22.5
% population with commute
45 mins. or longer		 14.0% 13.8%
% population walk or bike to work 4.0% 2.3%
Movie theaters
(within 15 miles)		 12 24
Restaurants
(within 15 miles)		 709 1,923
Bars
(within 15 miles)		 29 174
Public golf courses
(within 30 miles)		 136 148
Libraries
(within 15 miles)		 43 53
Museums (accredited by AAM;
within 30 miles)		 4 7
Ski resorts (within 100 miles) 53 17
Arts funding (Dollars per person of state funds spent on arts) 0.7 1.2
Annual rainfall
(inches)		 41.97 39.77
% clear days in the area 25 27
High temp in July ° F* 81.3° 85.5°
Low temp in Jan ° F* 8.7° 21.0°
Median age 35.6 36.6
Completed at least some college
(% of residents)		 59.1% 71.9%
Married % 57.1% 62.9%
Divorced % 10.1% 7.7%
Racial diversity index
(100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity)		 18.1 58.9
From the August 2009 issue
Notes:
* County data
(3) Crime incidences are estimates based on FBI 2007 Universal Crime and incidence reports, OnBoard analysis.

(I) Income tax notes:
Applies to interest and dividend income only.
FORTUNE 500
There are no Fortune 500 companies in this state.
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How we picked the Best Places
Using statistics from data provider Onboard Informatics, we crunched the numbers in order to zero in on America's best small towns for families. (Last year, we looked at small cities, with populations between 50,000 and 300,000.) More

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