What stands out worked out from the figures below

Goffstown has the highest household income ($114k).

Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).

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	Thornton
People
Population	18,513Highest	2,799Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+8.8%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.3±3.1Lowest 5% below NH	51.1±3.4Highest 18% above NH
Kids under 18	16%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2%	13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Goffstown and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±2.8 NH: 20.1%	19%±4.9 NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%	46.3%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6%	4.8%±2.9Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,958±$12kHighest 15% above NH	$90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH
	Goffstown and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,400±$20kHighest 6% below NH	$351,900±$20kLowest 13% below NH
	Goffstown and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH	$1,270±$428Highest 15% below NH
	Thornton and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,941Highest 4% above NH	$5,032Lowest 25% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.1%±20Highest NH: 48.2%	57.7%±24.7Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Goffstown and Thornton 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%	9.2%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	88.3%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH	1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above NH	23 minLowest 15% below NH
Work from home	13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#35 of 120 in NH	#18 of 120 in NH
School district	Goffstown School District	Thornton School District
High school in town	Goffstown High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.