Compare towns
Stratham vs South Hooksett vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
South Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
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 | Stratham | South Hooksett | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,754 |
5,902Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9Highest 4% below NH |
35.2±3.6Lowest 19% below NH |
38±1 12% below NH |
| Stratham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
| Stratham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.9% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
14.3%±0.8Highest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,998±$20kHighest 53% above NH |
$130,000±$15k 31% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Stratham and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
$433,200±$40k 8% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,471±$217Lowest about the NH average |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781Highest 47% above NH |
$6,801 about the NH average |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±25Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #43 of 120 in NH | — | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | — | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.