What stands out worked out from the figures below

Goffstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).

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	Reading
People
Population	18,513Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±3.1Lowest 6% above U.S.	43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S.
	Reading 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 U.S.: 22%	22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Reading and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,958±$12kLowest 41% above U.S.	$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,400±$20kLowest 13% above U.S.	$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,231±$161Lowest 13% below U.S.	$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,941Lowest 123% above U.S.	$9,320Highest 199% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.1%±20Highest U.S.: 51.1%	27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% above U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	13.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#35 of 120 in NH	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Goffstown School District	Reading
High school in town	Goffstown High School	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.