Compare towns
Brookline vs Manchester vs Bow vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Brookline | Manchester | Bow | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
115,643Highest |
8,335 |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$4k 112% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,564±$37 11% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| 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 221% above U.S. |
$5,922Lowest 90% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Bow School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School | Bow High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3Highest |
12.8Lowest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.