What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lee has the most homeowners (95.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lee	Manchester
People
Population	4,576Lowest	115,643Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+5.5%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average	38±1Lowest 12% below NH
Kids under 18	21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2%	18%±1Lowest 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%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1%	15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Lee and Manchester 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%	34%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±2.6Lowest 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	$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH	$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH
	Lee and Manchester 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	$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,564±$37 5% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,661Highest 45% above NH	$5,922Lowest 11% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.3%±53.3Lowest 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%Lowest NH: 7.2%	11.2%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.8%Highest NH: 72.8%	48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH	1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest about the NH average	24 minLowest 10% below NH
Work from home	27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8%	14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#3 of 120 in NH	#115 of 120 in NH
School district	Oyster River Coop School District	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District
High school 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 →	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.