Compare towns
Manchester vs Rye vs Pelham
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).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Rye | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
5,611Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
41.5±2.7 4% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4 NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Pelham and Rye 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% |
31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
61.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 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 |
$140,655±$39kHighest 42% above NH |
$135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
| Rye and Pelham 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 |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$552,600±$27k 37% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$1,781±$156Highest 19% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$7,519 13% above NH |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.9% NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
85.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1972 7 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below NH |
29 min 8% above NH |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Rye School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.