Compare towns
Lee vs Candia 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
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Candia has the oldest population (median age 48.3).
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 | Lee | Candia | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,576 |
4,134Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
48.3±3.8Highest 12% above NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Candia and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.8%±3.5Lowest 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+ | 22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
23.1%±4.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Candia and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
27.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
34% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.7%±2.6 NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$119,737±$37k 21% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Lee and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,600±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
$415,600±$46k 3% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
| Lee and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,213±$554Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,564±$37Highest 5% above NH |
| Manchester and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$6,100 9% below NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
0%±21.6Lowest 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 | 2.6% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.7% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the NH average |
34 minHighest 29% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.8%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #3 of 120 in NH | #41 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Candia 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 | 10 photos → | None yet | 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.