Compare towns
Hooksett vs Salem 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 the most homeowners (80.6%).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Manchester has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Salem | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057Lowest |
44,795 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett and Salem 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% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1Highest 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%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hooksett and Salem 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% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,564±$37Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Salem 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. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
$5,922Lowest 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem 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% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Salem | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
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.