Compare towns
Exeter vs Hooksett vs Manchester vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Exeter | Hooksett | Manchester | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
15,057 |
115,643Highest |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18%±1 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7k 10% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,564±$37 11% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hooksett School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
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.