Compare towns
Hooksett vs Plainfield vs Middlesex 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%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Plainfield | Middlesex | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057 |
1,314Lowest |
1,943 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Middlesex 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% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex 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% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Middlesex 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% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2k about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7k 10% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Middlesex 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. |
$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,564±$37 11% above 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. |
$4,806Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield 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% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Plainfield 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 |
| School district | Hooksett School District | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 14.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.