Compare towns
Hooksett vs Wells 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 highest household income ($118k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,057 |
11,713Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% 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. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Manchester and Wells 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% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 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 |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wells and Manchester 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.