Compare towns
Manchester vs Mason 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).
Mason has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Nashua has the most expensive homes ($404k 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 | Mason | Nashua |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
1,451Lowest |
91,294 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+4.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
43.7±2.3Highest about the NH average |
40±1.3 8% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.6%±1.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
16.9%±1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Nashua and Mason 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% |
39.5% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5%±0.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$111,090±$3kHighest 12% above NH |
$96,326±$5k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$384,000±$21k 5% below NH |
$403,900±$11kHighest about the NH average |
| Nashua and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
$1,737±$41 16% above NH |
| Mason 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 |
$7,049Highest 6% above NH |
$6,799 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
45.8%±4.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason 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% |
90.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below NH |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.4%±1.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Mason 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 | — | #67 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Mason School District | Nashua School District |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town | Nashua High School South |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.