Compare towns

Manchester vs Hooksett vs Auburn

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).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.4%).
Auburn has the most people working from home (26.5%).

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.

MeasureManchesterHooksettAuburn
People
Population
115,643Highest
5,876Lowest
6,119
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.5%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+27.4%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+20%
NH: +4.6%
Median age
38±1Lowest
12% below NH
42.6±2
about the NH average
44.3±5.9Highest
about the NH average
Auburn 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%
14.7%±3.6Lowest
NH: 18.2%
19.3%±4.3Highest
NH: 18.2%
Auburn 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%
20.7%±3.9Highest
NH: 20.1%
13.4%±3.2Lowest
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
34%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
41.4%
NH: 40.6%
55.3%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.4%±0.7
NH: 6%
6.2%±3.7Lowest
NH: 6%
7.2%±4.7Highest
NH: 6%
Auburn and Manchester 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
$101,053±$25k
about the NH average
$153,253±$6kHighest
55% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$365,600±$7k
9% below NH
$348,100±$32kLowest
14% below NH
$600,300±$29kHighest
49% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,564±$37Lowest
5% above NH
$1,811±$283
21% above NH
$1,893±$822Highest
27% above NH
Auburn 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
$4,960Lowest
26% below NH
$8,092Highest
21% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
50%±3.6Highest
NH: 48.2%
46%±20.2
NH: 48.2%
27.6%±27Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Manchester and Hooksett 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%
NH: 7.2%
2.5%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
48.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
72.5%
NH: 72.8%
93.9%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1966Lowest
13 yrs older than NH
1987Highest
8 yrs newer than NH
1984
5 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minLowest
10% below NH
29 minHighest
9% above NH
28 min
4% above NH
Work from home
14.1%±1.3Lowest
NH: 16.8%
14.4%±4.6
NH: 16.8%
26.5%±6.6Highest
NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #115 of 120 in NH #30 of 120 in NH #44 of 120 in NH
School district Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District — Auburn School District
High school in town Manchester Memorial High School — None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
14.3
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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.