Compare towns
Gray 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
Gray has the most kids (19% 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 | Gray | Hooksett | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
15,057 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Lowest 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 | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7k 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$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 | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Manchester and Hooksett 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #30 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hooksett School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.