Compare towns
Manchester vs Ripton vs South 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).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
South Hooksett has the highest household income ($130k).
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 | Ripton | South Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
508Lowest |
5,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38±1 about the U.S. average |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
35.2±3.6Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Manchester 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Manchester and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ripton and South Hooksett 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 about the U.S. average |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$130,000±$15kHighest 61% above U.S. |
| South Hooksett and Ripton 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. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$433,200±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| South Hooksett and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37Highest 11% above U.S. |
— | $1,471±$217Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Manchester and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,922 90% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$6,801Highest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±25Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton 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% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton 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 | — | — |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3 |
— | — |
| 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.