Compare towns
Manchester vs Exeter vs Nashua
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Nashua has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Nashua |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
16,151Lowest |
91,294 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
40±1.3 8% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.6%±1.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Nashua 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 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.9%±1 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5%±0.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Exeter 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 |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$96,326±$5k about the NH average |
| Exeter and Nashua 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 |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$403,900±$11k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,737±$41 16% above NH |
| Exeter and Nashua 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 |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$6,799 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
45.8%±4.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter 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% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.4%±1.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Nashua 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #67 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Nashua School District |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | Exeter High School | Nashua High School South |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 6 photos → | 59 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.