Compare towns
Manchester vs Brookline vs Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
Towns like ManchesterNashua
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Bedford has the most expensive homes ($612k 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.
| Measure | Manchester | Brookline | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
5,736Lowest |
23,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8 NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
| Brookline and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$2,099±$274 41% above NH |
| Brookline and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,803 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Brookline 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 | #115 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Brookline School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 13.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet |
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.