Compare towns
Hooksett vs Bellows Falls 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Manchester has the youngest population (median age 38).
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 | Bellows Falls | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057 |
2,891Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Highest 6% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$81,007±$2k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$365,600±$7k 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below 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 | $6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Manchester and Bellows Falls 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% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | — | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | — | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.