What stands out worked out from the figures below

Goffstown has the most homeowners (82.7%).

Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Goffstown	Lawrence
People
Population	18,513Lowest	88,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±3.1Highest 6% above U.S.	32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	16%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,958±$12kHighest 41% above U.S.	$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,400±$20kLowest 13% above U.S.	$415,200±$23kHighest 25% above U.S.
	Lawrence and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,231±$161Lowest 13% below U.S.	$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,941Highest 123% above U.S.	$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.1%±20Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lawrence 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 U.S.: 12.5%	17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.	23 minLowest 13% below U.S.
Work from home	13.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#35 of 120 in NH	#278 of 282 in MA
School district	Goffstown School District	Lawrence
High school in town	Goffstown High School	Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Lowest	13.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.