Compare towns
Durham vs Manchester vs South Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
South Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Manchester | South Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080 |
115,643Highest |
5,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
38±1Highest 12% below NH |
35.2±3.6 19% below NH |
| Manchester and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Manchester and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Manchester and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
14.3%±0.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$130,000±$15kHighest 31% above NH |
| South Hooksett and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$433,200±$40k 8% above NH |
| Durham and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,564±$37Highest 5% above NH |
$1,471±$217 about the NH average |
| Manchester and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$6,801 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±25Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.2% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
24 min 10% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | — |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Manchester Memorial High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
14.3Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | 6 photos → | None yet |
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.