Compare towns
Hooksett vs North Reading 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).
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 | North Reading | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Lowest |
15,765 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
43±2.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| North Reading 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% |
22.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hooksett and North Reading 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% |
56.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$147,768±$25kHighest 83% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
| North Reading and Hooksett 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. |
$710,500±$24kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$2,259±$356Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,564±$37Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554 110% above U.S. |
$9,693Highest 211% above U.S. |
$5,922Lowest 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
75.5%±25.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Reading and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.1%±4.6Highest 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 | #33 of 282 in MA | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | North Reading | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Reading High | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.