What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).

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	Hampton Beach
People
Population	115,643Highest	2,605Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	38±1Lowest 12% below NH	60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH
Kids under 18	18%±1Highest NH: 18.2%	3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1%	33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34% NH: 40.6%	34% NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6%	0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH	$82,557±$17kHighest 17% below NH
	Hampton Beach and Manchester 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	$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,564±$37Highest 5% above NH	$1,375±$130Lowest 8% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,922Lowest 11% below NH	$6,115Highest 8% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50%±3.6Lowest NH: 48.2%	61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Hampton Beach 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%	8.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	62.9%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH	1971Highest 8 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 10% below NH	25 minHighest 5% below NH
Work from home	14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8%	26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8%
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 History	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.