Compare towns
Chester vs Dunbarton 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
Chester has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
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 | Chester | Dunbarton | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,300 |
3,097Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8 9% above NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Dunbarton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Dunbarton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dunbarton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Chester and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
| Chester and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,564±$37Highest 5% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4% NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above NH |
34 min 25% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Chester and Manchester 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 | #90 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chester School District | Dunbarton 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.