Compare towns
Chester vs Henniker vs Goffstown
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 expensive homes ($552k median).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Henniker | Goffstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,300Lowest |
6,197 |
18,513Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
41.3±3.1 5% below NH |
| Chester and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Chester and Goffstown 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% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Goffstown 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
42.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
14.5%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$113,958±$12k 15% above NH |
| Chester and Goffstown 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 |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$377,400±$20k 6% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,231±$161Highest 17% below NH |
| Goffstown and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,464 27% above NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$6,941Lowest 4% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
58.1%±20Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Goffstown and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Chester and Henniker 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #35 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chester School District | Henniker School District | Goffstown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Goffstown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.