Compare towns
Manchester vs Exeter vs Newfields 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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Exeter | Newfields | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
16,151 |
2,023Lowest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
44.1±1.8 about the NH average |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
| Exeter and Newfields 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Newfields and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,875±$323Highest 26% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
| Newfields and Exeter 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 |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8 NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter 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% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Newfields and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Newfields School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 59 photos → | 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.