Compare towns
Goffstown vs Williston vs Pelham
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 most affordable homes ($377k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Pelham has the highest household income ($136k).
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 | Williston | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,513Highest |
10,144Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±3.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
| Williston and Pelham 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,958±$12k 41% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,400±$20kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,231±$161Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,941 123% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±20 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Goffstown School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Goffstown High School | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.