Compare towns

Goffstown vs Manchester vs Auburn

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).

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.

MeasureGoffstownManchesterAuburn
People
Population
18,513
115,643Highest
6,119Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.2%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+5.5%
NH: +4.6%
+20%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
41.3±3.1
5% below NH
38±1Lowest
12% below NH
44.3±5.9Highest
about the NH average
Auburn and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
16%±2.5Lowest
NH: 18.2%
18%±1
NH: 18.2%
19.3%±4.3Highest
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+
19%±2.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
15.5%±0.8
NH: 20.1%
13.4%±3.2Lowest
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%
34%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
55.3%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
14.5%±1.7Highest
NH: 6%
6.4%±0.7Lowest
NH: 6%
7.2%±4.7
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$113,958±$12k
15% above NH
$81,007±$2kLowest
18% below NH
$153,253±$6kHighest
55% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$377,400±$20k
6% below NH
$365,600±$7kLowest
9% below NH
$600,300±$29kHighest
49% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,231±$161Lowest
17% below NH
$1,564±$37
5% above NH
$1,893±$822Highest
27% 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
$6,941
4% above NH
$5,922Lowest
11% below NH
$8,092Highest
21% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
58.1%±20Highest
NH: 48.2%
50%±3.6
NH: 48.2%
27.6%±27Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Goffstown and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.4%
NH: 7.2%
11.2%Highest
NH: 7.2%
2.5%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.7%
NH: 72.8%
48.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
93.9%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1982
3 yrs newer than NH
1966Lowest
13 yrs older than NH
1984Highest
5 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
4% above NH
24 minLowest
10% below NH
28 minHighest
4% above NH
Work from home
13.8%±2.2Lowest
NH: 16.8%
14.1%±1.3
NH: 16.8%
26.5%±6.6Highest
NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #35 of 120 in NH #115 of 120 in NH #44 of 120 in NH
School district Goffstown School District Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District Auburn School District
High school in town Goffstown High School Manchester Memorial High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.6Lowest
14.3Highest
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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.