What stands out worked out from the figures below

Manchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).

Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).

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	Manchester	Bellows Falls
People
Population	115,643Highest	2,891Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	38±1Lowest about the U.S. average	41.3±6.7Highest 6% above U.S.
	Bellows Falls and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±1Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bellows Falls and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.4%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bellows Falls and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,007±$2kHighest about the U.S. average	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$365,600±$7kHighest 10% above U.S.	$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,564±$37Highest 11% above U.S.	$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,922Highest 90% above U.S.	$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Manchester and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	50.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 9% below U.S.	20 minLowest 24% below U.S.
Work from home	14.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#115 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District	—
High school in town	Manchester Memorial High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	6 photos →	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.