The Town Files

South Hooksett, New Hampshire

Community in Merrimack County · population 5,888 (2020 Census)

Map: where South Hooksett is in New HampshireSouth Hooksett
Median home
$433,200
Household income
$130,000
Jan low / Jul high
13° / 81°
Snow a year
53 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
5
Median age
35.2

South Hooksett is a community of 5,888 people in Merrimack County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $433,200, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks more of a college town than 96% of New Hampshire towns, better for young professionals than 89% of New Hampshire towns, more vibrant than 88% of New Hampshire towns.

How South Hooksett ranks

Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.

South Hooksett lifestyle rankings vs other New Hampshire townsRetirement11th pctFamilies54th pctQuiet6th pctWalkability80th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals89th pctVibrancy88th pctHip & trendy15th pctCollege town96th pctUpscale64th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling84th pctTransitbottomDriving28th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in South Hooksett is worth $433,200, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $130,000, which is more affordable than 76% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $1,471 a month. 82.9% of households own their home.

South Hooksett vs Merrimack County vs typical New Hampshire townSouth HooksettMerrimack CountyTypical New Hampshire townHome value$433,200$367,600$357,650Household income$130,000$97,004$94,107Monthly rent$1,471$1,360$1,285
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New Hampshire towns with 500+ people.
HousingSouth HooksettTypical New Hampshire town
Median home value$433,200$357,650
Median rent$1,471$1,285
Median household income$130,000$94,107
Home value ÷ income3.3×3.8×
Homeownership82.9%82.1%
Median year built19851978
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in South Hooksett

PeopleSouth HooksettTypical New Hampshire town
Median age35.246.3
Age 65 and over13.5%22.3%
Under 1816.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher37.9%36.8%
Below the poverty line4.0%7.2%
Veterans3.0%—
Born outside the U.S.2.8%—
Work from home7.1%14.2%
Average commute26.3 min27.1 min
Homes with broadband93.1%92.5%

Weather in South Hooksett

July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 13.0°F. About 42.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 52.8 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.

South Hooksett monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing32°13°Jan35°15°Feb43°24°Mar56°35°Apr67°46°May76°56°Jun81°61°Jul80°59°Aug73°52°Sep60°40°Oct48°30°Nov38°21°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.715.92.717.63.26.73.50.93.44.33.63.73.94.43.51.13.810.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Massabesic Lake station (3.2 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of South Hooksett since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 9, 1963 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 20, 1968.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of South Hooksett by decade11950s41960s01970s01980s01990s02000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 15, 2024.

Severe weather in Merrimack County since 1996

Storm events in Merrimack County since 1996 by typeHail97Flood81Drought21High Wind22Lightning20Heavy Snow116Flash Flood30Strong Wind31
NOAA Storm Events Database, Merrimack County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Merrimack County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 3, 2020BiologicalDR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3445: Covid-19
January 2, 2018Severe StormDR-4355: Severe Storm And Flooding
March 19, 2013Severe StormDR-4105: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
October 30, 2012HurricaneEM-3360: Hurricane Sandy

Jobs and pay in Merrimack County

Merrimack County had 77,147 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,857 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in South Hooksett itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.

Largest industries in Merrimack CountyHealth care & social assistan…11,818 jobs · $71,553Retail8,949 jobs · $44,080Manufacturing5,577 jobs · $77,753Hotels & restaurants5,422 jobs · $29,221Construction3,927 jobs · $82,830Wholesale trade3,912 jobs · $94,952
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Merrimack County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%2000200420082012201620202023Merrimack 1.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near South Hooksett

South Hooksett questions

Is South Hooksett, New Hampshire a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, South Hooksett scores better for retirees than 11% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 6%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.2).

How much does a house cost in South Hooksett?

The median owner-occupied home in South Hooksett is valued at $433,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $130,000, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,471 a month.

What is the weather like in South Hooksett?

July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 13.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.5 inches of precipitation a year and 52.8 inches of snow.

Does South Hooksett get tornadoes?

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of South Hooksett since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 9, 1963. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to South Hooksett's Census boundary (GEOID 3371220). Comparisons use the median of New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.