Compare towns
Manchester vs Stowe 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).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
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 | Stowe | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
5,285Lowest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.3±7.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stowe and Manchester 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% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe and 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$93,618±$33k 16% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Stowe 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. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37 11% above U.S. |
$1,458±$242Lowest 3% above 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. |
$7,161Highest 130% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Manchester and Hooksett 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest 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 min 9% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 120 in NH | — | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Stowe Town School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
11.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.