Compare towns
Manchester vs Waitsfield 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).
Waitsfield has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Waitsfield | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
1,918Lowest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±5.3Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Waitsfield 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% |
23.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Waitsfield 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% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±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 |
$84,375±$34k 5% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Waitsfield 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. |
$422,400±$92kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
| Waitsfield and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37 11% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% 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. |
$6,208 99% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Manchester and Waitsfield 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% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waitsfield 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 | — | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | 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 |
— | — |
| 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.