Compare towns
Manchester vs Mason 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).
Mason has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
South Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Mason | South Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
1,451Lowest |
5,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+4.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1 12% below NH |
43.7±2.3Highest about the NH average |
35.2±3.6Lowest 19% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Mason and Manchester 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% |
39.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
14.3%±0.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$111,090±$3k 12% above NH |
$130,000±$15kHighest 31% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$384,000±$21k 5% below NH |
$433,200±$40kHighest 8% above NH |
| South Hooksett and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
$1,471±$217Lowest about the NH average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$7,049Highest 6% above NH |
$6,801 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±25Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason 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% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below NH |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Mason School District | — |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.