What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

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	Wells
People
Population	18,513Highest	11,713Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±3.1Lowest 6% above U.S.	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	16%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Wells and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,958±$12kHighest 41% above U.S.	$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,400±$20kLowest 13% above U.S.	$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,231±$161Lowest 13% below U.S.	$1,350±$297Highest 4% below U.S.
	Wells and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,941Highest 123% above U.S.	$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.1%±20Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Goffstown and Wells 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%	6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.	28 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	13.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wells and Goffstown 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	#22 of 133 in ME
School district	Goffstown School District	Wells-Ogunquit CSD
High school in town	Goffstown High School	Wells High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	11.4Lowest
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.