Compare towns
Hooksett vs Bow vs Windham 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
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Bow | Windham | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057 |
8,335Lowest |
16,038 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Bow and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bow 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% NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554 about the NH average |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Bow School District | Windham School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Windham High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
12.8Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.