Compare towns
Goffstown vs Wayne vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Goffstown has the highest household income ($114k).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
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 | Wayne | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,513 |
1,101Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±3.1 6% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Manchester and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,958±$12kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Goffstown and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,400±$20kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7k 10% above U.S. |
| Goffstown and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,231±$161 13% below U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,564±$37Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,941Highest 123% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±20Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 120 in NH | — | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Goffstown School District | RSU 38 | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | Goffstown High School | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.