Compare towns
Hooksett vs Exeter vs Wilder 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%).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Exeter | Wilder | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057 |
16,151 |
3,087Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Manchester and Hooksett 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% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder and Exeter 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% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Wilder 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. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$81,007±$2k about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett and Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$365,600±$7k 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,564±$37 11% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554 110% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Manchester 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | — | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 6 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.