Compare towns
Bennington vs Hooksett vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
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 | Bennington | Hooksett | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,588Lowest |
15,057 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Highest about the NH average |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Bennington and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Hooksett and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,875±$7k 15% below NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$15kLowest 34% below NH |
$407,000±$26kHighest about the NH average |
$365,600±$7k 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
| Hooksett and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,944 11% below NH |
$6,554Highest about the NH average |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Manchester and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Bennington 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 | — | #30 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | 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 → |
NH 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.