Compare towns
Barnstead vs Manchester vs Nottingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnstead has the oldest population (median age 42.8).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Nottingham has the most people working from home (22.2%).
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 | Barnstead | Manchester | Nottingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994Lowest |
115,643Highest |
5,357 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Highest about the NH average |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
38.8±6.7 10% below NH |
| Barnstead and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.9%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Nottingham and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.4%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Barnstead and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
34% NH: 40.6% |
40.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$122,201±$20kHighest 23% above NH |
| Nottingham and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$365,600±$7k 9% below NH |
$457,500±$26kHighest 14% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$2,068±$1kHighest 39% above NH |
| Nottingham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003 10% below NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$7,319Highest 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
92.1%±44.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Nottingham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1992Highest 13 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #111 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #15 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Nottingham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3 |
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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.