Compare towns
Manchester vs Pelham vs Epping
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
Towns like ManchesterNashua
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Pelham has the highest household income ($136k).
Epping has the oldest population (median age 45.1).
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 | Pelham | Epping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
14,449 |
7,430Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
41.5±2.7 4% below NH |
45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH |
| Epping and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Pelham and Epping 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% |
16.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Pelham 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% |
40%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Pelham 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 |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
| Epping and Manchester 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 |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Pelham 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% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below NH |
30 min 10% above NH |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Pelham School District | Epping School District |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | Pelham High School | Epping High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
10.4 |
9.3Lowest |
| 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.