Compare towns
Acton vs Hooksett vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acton has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
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 | Acton | Hooksett | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,721Lowest |
15,057 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.9±4.2Highest 36% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Manchester and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,300±$34kLowest about the U.S. average |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7k 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,564±$37Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,680Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Acton and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.2%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Acton and Manchester 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 | #43 of 133 in ME | #30 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Acton Public Schools | Hooksett School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.