Compare towns

Hooksett vs Manchester vs Williston

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).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).

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.

MeasureHooksettManchesterWilliston
People
Population
15,057
115,643Highest
10,144Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+10.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.3±1.5
6% above U.S.
38±1Lowest
about the U.S. average
45.4±4.5Highest
17% above U.S.
Williston 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
U.S.: 22%
18%±1
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
Williston 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
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±0.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Williston 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%
54.9%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%
5.7%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$117,962±$11kHighest
46% above U.S.
$81,007±$2kLowest
about the U.S. average
$106,967±$12k
32% above U.S.
Hooksett and Williston 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.
$365,600±$7kLowest
10% above U.S.
$475,800±$40kHighest
43% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,661±$206
18% above U.S.
$1,564±$37Lowest
11% above U.S.
$1,832±$130Highest
30% above U.S.
Williston and Hooksett 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.
$5,592Lowest
79% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
41.7%±16.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
50%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Manchester and Williston 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%
4.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
48.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1988
8 yrs newer than U.S.
1966Lowest
14 yrs older than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
24 min
9% below U.S.
20 minLowest
25% below U.S.
Work from home
13.4%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.1%±1.3
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Williston 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 #11 of 70 in VT
School district Hooksett School District Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56
High school in town None in town Manchester Memorial High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
14.3
—
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.