Compare towns
Hooksett vs Epping vs Manchester vs Goffstown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
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 | Epping | Manchester | Goffstown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057 |
7,430Lowest |
115,643Highest |
18,513 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
41.3±3.1 5% below NH |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Epping 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 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Goffstown 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% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
42.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$113,958±$12k 15% above NH |
| Hooksett and Goffstown 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 |
$436,900±$35kHighest 9% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$377,400±$20k 6% below NH |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554 about the NH average |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$6,941Highest 4% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
58.1%±20 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±2.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #35 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Epping School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Goffstown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | Manchester Memorial High School | Goffstown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
14.3Highest |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
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.