Compare towns
Auburn vs Windham vs Manchester vs Candia
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Windham has the most kids (27.4% under 18).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Candia has the oldest population (median age 48.3).
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 | Auburn | Windham | Manchester | Candia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,119 |
16,038 |
115,643Highest |
4,134Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
48.3±3.8Highest 12% above NH |
| Candia and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
12.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8 NH: 20.1% |
23.1%±4.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34% NH: 40.6% |
27.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
5.7%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$119,737±$37k 21% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$415,600±$46k 3% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822 27% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$1,213±$554Lowest 19% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092 21% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$6,100 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
0%±21.6Lowest 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 | 2.5% NH: 7.2% |
2% NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
34 minHighest 29% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
10.8%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #41 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | Windham School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Candia School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
14.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.