Compare towns

Manchester vs Goffstown vs Barrington

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).
Goffstown has the oldest population (median age 41.3).
Barrington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

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.

MeasureManchesterGoffstownBarrington
People
Population
115,643Highest
18,513
9,489Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.5%
NH: +4.6%
+5.2%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+8.7%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
38±1Lowest
12% below NH
41.3±3.1Highest
5% below NH
38.7±2.3
11% below NH
Goffstown and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18%±1
NH: 18.2%
16%±2.5Lowest
NH: 18.2%
23.7%±4Highest
NH: 18.2%
Age 65+
15.5%±0.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
19%±2.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
15.6%±2.7
NH: 20.1%
Goffstown and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
34%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
42.8%Highest
NH: 40.6%
42.4%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.4%±0.7
NH: 6%
14.5%±1.7Highest
NH: 6%
5.3%±1.9Lowest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$81,007±$2kLowest
18% below NH
$113,958±$12kHighest
15% above NH
$110,323±$14k
11% above NH
Goffstown and Barrington 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
$377,400±$20k
6% below NH
$399,100±$30kHighest
about the NH average
Barrington and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,564±$37
5% above NH
$1,231±$161Lowest
17% below NH
$1,867±$194Highest
25% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,922Lowest
11% below NH
$6,941
4% above NH
$7,121Highest
7% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
50%±3.6Lowest
NH: 48.2%
58.1%±20
NH: 48.2%
63.1%±25.2Highest
NH: 48.2%
Barrington and Goffstown 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%
6.4%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
7.1%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
48.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
82.7%
NH: 72.8%
87%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1966Lowest
13 yrs older than NH
1982
3 yrs newer than NH
1987Highest
8 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minLowest
10% below NH
28 min
4% above NH
30 minHighest
13% above NH
Work from home
14.1%±1.3
NH: 16.8%
13.8%±2.2Lowest
NH: 16.8%
18.7%±4.1Highest
NH: 16.8%
Barrington 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 #35 of 120 in NH #65 of 120 in NH
School district Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District Goffstown School District Barrington School District
High school in town Manchester Memorial High School Goffstown High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
14.3Highest
12.6Lowest
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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.