Compare towns
Manchester vs South Hooksett vs Durham
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 affordable homes ($366k median).
South Hooksett has the most homeowners (82.9%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | South Hooksett | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
5,902Lowest |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1Highest 12% below NH |
35.2±3.6 19% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Manchester and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| 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%±0.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Manchester and South Hooksett 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% |
37.9% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
14.3%±0.8 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$130,000±$15kHighest 31% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
| South Hooksett and Durham 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 |
$433,200±$40k 8% above NH |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
| Durham 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±$37Highest 5% above NH |
$1,471±$217 about the NH average |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Manchester and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$6,801 about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±25Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | — | — |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | — | — |
| 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.