Compare towns
Manchester vs Durham vs South Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
Towns like ManchesterNashua
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
South Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | South Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
15,080 |
5,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1Highest 12% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
35.2±3.6 19% below NH |
| Manchester and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Manchester and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Manchester and South 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% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
14.3%±0.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$130,000±$15kHighest 31% above NH |
| South Hooksett and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$433,200±$40k 8% above NH |
| Durham and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37Highest 5% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,471±$217 about the NH average |
| Manchester and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,801 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±25Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | Oyster River High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
12.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 6 photos → | 51 photos → | 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.