What stands out worked out from the figures below

Manchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).

Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).

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	Westminster
People
Population	115,643Highest	2,999Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	38±1Lowest about the U.S. average	53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18%±1Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Westminster and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Manchester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,007±$2kHighest about the U.S. average	$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$365,600±$7kHighest 10% above U.S.	$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,564±$37Highest 11% above U.S.	$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,922Highest 90% above U.S.	$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Manchester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.	1980Highest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 9% below U.S.	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	14.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#115 of 120 in NH	#53 of 70 in VT
School district	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District	Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District
High school in town	Manchester Memorial High School	Bellows Falls Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	10.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	6 photos →	None yet

U.S. 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.