Compare towns
Hooksett vs Ayer 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
Hooksett has the most homeowners (80.6%).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Hooksett | Ayer | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057 |
8,645Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hooksett and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180Lowest about the U.S. average |
$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 | $6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$5,057Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Manchester and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 120 in NH | #113 of 282 in MA | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.