Compare towns
Auburn vs Henniker vs Hillsborough 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
Auburn has the most people working from home (26.5%).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Auburn | Henniker | Hillsborough | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,119 |
6,197 |
5,980Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
38±1 12% below NH |
| Auburn and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
| Auburn and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Henniker and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
34% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$84,495±$12k 15% below NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
$272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
$365,600±$7k 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,198±$390 20% below NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
| Auburn and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092 21% above NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$5,815Lowest 13% below NH |
$5,922 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6% NH: 7.2% |
11.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
92.3% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
41 minHighest 54% above NH |
24 min 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
14%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Henniker 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 | #44 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH | #97 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | Henniker School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.