What stands out worked out from the figures below

Manchester has the most kids (18% under 18).

Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).

Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Durham
People
Population	115,643Highest	10,681Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	38±1Highest 12% below NH	20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH
Kids under 18	18%±1Highest NH: 18.2%	6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	15.5%±0.8Highest NH: 20.1%	7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34%Lowest NH: 40.6%	75.4%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.4%±0.7Lowest NH: 6%	70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH	$112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH	$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,564±$37Highest 5% above NH	$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,922Lowest 11% below NH	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50%±3.6Lowest NH: 48.2%	55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Durham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%	12.4%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	53.6%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH	1973Highest 6 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 10% below NH	17 minLowest 36% below NH
Work from home	14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8%	15.6%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8%
	Durham and Manchester 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	#9 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

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.