Compare towns
Hooksett vs Waterbury 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%).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Waterbury | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057 |
5,405Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Waterbury 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% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury 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% |
19.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waterbury 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% |
54.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Hooksett and Waterbury 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. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and Hooksett 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. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% 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. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
$5,922Lowest 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Manchester and Waterbury 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% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest 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 | #20 of 70 in VT | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | 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 Our Story | 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.