Compare towns
Gray vs Hooksett vs Manchester vs Windham
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
15,057 |
115,643Highest |
19,188 |
| 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% |
+8.4% 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 |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Gray 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% |
15.9%±2.1 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% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,564±$37 11% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below 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. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest 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% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest 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. |
1985 5 yrs newer 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. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #30 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hooksett School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 14.3Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.