Compare towns
Ashby 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
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Ashby | Hooksett | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
15,057 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Lowest 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+ | 21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest 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 | $115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,564±$37 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 | $6,034 93% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$5,922Lowest 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Manchester and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 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 | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | 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 Our Story | 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.