Compare towns
Manchester vs Hampstead vs 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).
Hampstead has the most people working from home (21%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Hampstead | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
9,102Lowest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
45.3±6.1Highest 5% above NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
| Hampstead 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% |
21.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Hampstead and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Hampstead 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% |
44.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
| Hooksett and Hampstead 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 |
$521,100±$45kHighest 29% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
| Hooksett and Manchester 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 |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Manchester and Hampstead 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% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 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 |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Hampstead 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 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 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.