Compare towns
Goffstown vs Exeter 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
Goffstown has the most homeowners (82.7%).
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).
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 | Goffstown | Exeter | Hooksett | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,513 |
16,151 |
15,057Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±3.1 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Exeter and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Manchester and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6 NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,958±$12k 15% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Hooksett and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,400±$20k 6% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
| Exeter and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,941 4% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±20 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.8%±2.2 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Goffstown School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hooksett School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | Goffstown High School | Exeter High School | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
12.1Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.