Compare towns
Manchester vs Wilder 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).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Wilder | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
3,087Lowest |
5,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+27.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.6±2 10% above U.S. |
| Wilder and Hooksett 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%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Manchester and Hooksett 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% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder 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% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,007±$2k about the U.S. average |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$101,053±$25kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$348,100±$32k 5% above U.S. |
| Manchester 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. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,811±$283Highest 28% 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 | $5,922Highest 90% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
$4,960Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±20.2 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% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hooksett 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 | — | — |
| 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 |
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.