Compare towns
Holderness vs Lee vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Holderness | Lee | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
4,576 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Lee and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Lee and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$480,600±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
$365,600±$7k 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
— | $1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$5,922 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Manchester and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #3 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 6 photos → |
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.