Compare towns
Candia vs Auburn 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
Candia has the oldest population (median age 48.3).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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.
| Measure | Candia | Auburn | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,134Lowest |
6,119 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±3.8Highest 12% above NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Candia and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Highest 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+ | 23.1%±4.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 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 | $119,737±$37k 21% above NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Auburn and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,600±$46k 3% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,213±$554Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above 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 | $6,100 9% below NH |
$8,092Highest 21% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±21.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27 NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Manchester and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.5% NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #41 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Candia School District | Auburn School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.