Compare towns
Manchester vs Merrimac vs Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
Towns like ManchesterNashua
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Merrimac has the most expensive homes ($553k median).
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 | Merrimac | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
6,748Lowest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.4±6.8Highest 27% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Manchester and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
$123,054±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37 11% above U.S. |
$1,352±$325Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
| 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 90% above U.S. |
$7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Merrimac 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Manchester and Hooksett 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 | #188 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Pentucket | 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 |
U.S. 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.