Compare towns
Manchester vs Barrington vs Hooksett vs Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Barrington has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.4%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
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 | Manchester | Barrington | Hooksett | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
9,489 |
5,876Lowest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7% NH: +4.6% |
+27.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
38.7±2.3 11% below NH |
42.6±2Highest about the NH average |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
| Hooksett and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
20.7%±3.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Hooksett and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
42.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
5.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±3.7 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$110,323±$14k 11% above NH |
$101,053±$25k about the NH average |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
| Hooksett and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7k 9% below NH |
$399,100±$30k about the NH average |
$348,100±$32kLowest 14% below NH |
$407,000±$26kHighest about the NH average |
| Hooksett and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
$1,867±$194Highest 25% above NH |
$1,811±$283 21% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
| Barrington and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,922 11% below NH |
$7,121Highest 7% above NH |
$4,960Lowest 26% below NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
63.1%±25.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
46%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Barrington and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.1% NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87%Highest NH: 72.8% |
72.5% NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
29 min 9% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±4.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.4%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Barrington and Hooksett 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 | #115 of 120 in NH | #65 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Barrington School District | — | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.