Compare towns
Hooksett vs Manchester vs Meredith
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Manchester | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057 |
115,643Highest |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Meredith and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| 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 about the NH average |
$5,922 11% below NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Manchester and Meredith 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% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.