Compare towns
Manchester vs Plainfield 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).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% 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 | Plainfield | South Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
2,522Lowest |
5,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1 12% below NH |
38.9±6.5Highest 10% below NH |
35.2±3.6Lowest 19% below NH |
| Plainfield and Manchester 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield 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% |
19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield 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% |
46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
14.3%±0.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$130,000±$15kHighest 31% above NH |
| South Hooksett and Plainfield 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 |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
$433,200±$40k 8% above NH |
| Plainfield and South Hooksett 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 |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,471±$217Lowest about the NH average |
| Plainfield 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 |
$7,904Highest 19% above NH |
$6,801 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±25 NH: 48.2% |
| Manchester and South 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% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield and Manchester 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Plainfield 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.