Compare towns
Hooksett vs Wakefield vs Epping vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Wakefield has the most homeowners (96.8%).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
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 | Wakefield | Epping | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057 |
5,405Lowest |
7,430 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+2.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
49.4±4.1Highest 14% above NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Wakefield and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±3.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
18.8%±4.7 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
26.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
34% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
$100,976±$11k about the NH average |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Hooksett and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$322,800±$43kLowest 20% below NH |
$436,900±$35kHighest 9% above NH |
$365,600±$7k 9% below NH |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,375±$434Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
| Epping and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554 about the NH average |
$2,954Lowest 56% below NH |
$6,936Highest 4% above NH |
$5,922 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping 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 NH: 7.2% |
7.2% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% NH: 72.8% |
96.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.1%±9.3 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Wakefield 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 | #118 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Wakefield School District | Epping School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Epping High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.3Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
NH 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.