Compare towns
Goffstown vs Durham 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
Goffstown has the most homeowners (82.7%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Goffstown | Durham | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,513 |
15,080Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±3.1Highest 5% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
38±1 12% below NH |
| Goffstown and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Manchester and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Goffstown and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.5%±1.7 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,958±$12k 15% above NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Durham and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,400±$20k 6% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,564±$37Highest 5% above NH |
| Manchester and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,941 4% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±20 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
24 min 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Goffstown School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | Goffstown High School | Oyster River High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
12.3Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.