Compare towns
Hooksett vs Manchester vs Saco
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 highest household income ($118k).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Saco has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Lowest |
115,643Highest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest 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% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Saco 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Saco 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 18% above U.S. |
$1,564±$37 11% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below 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. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
$4,807Lowest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco 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% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Saco and Manchester 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 | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
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.