Compare towns
Windham vs Manchester vs Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Hooksett has the oldest population (median age 41.3).
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 | Windham | Manchester | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,038 |
115,643Highest |
15,057Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
41.3±1.5Highest 5% below NH |
| Hooksett and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Hooksett and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 15% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
14.3Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.