What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brookline	Manchester
People
Population	5,736Lowest	115,643Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13%Highest NH: +4.6%	+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.2±1.5Highest 5% below NH	38±1Lowest 12% below NH
Kids under 18	26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2%	18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1%	15.5%±0.8Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.7%Highest NH: 40.6%	34%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±3.2Lowest NH: 6%	6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6%
	Manchester and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH	$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH	$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH	$1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH
	Brookline and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH	$5,922Lowest 11% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2%	50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2%
	Manchester and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2%	11.2%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.1%Highest NH: 72.8%	48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH	1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above NH	24 minLowest 10% below NH
Work from home	24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8%	14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#23 of 120 in NH	#115 of 120 in NH
School district	Brookline 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	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.