Compare towns
Manchester vs White River Junction vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
Towns like ManchesterNashua
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the most expensive homes ($366k median).
White River Junction has the most people working from home (15.7%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | White River Junction | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
3,364 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38±1 about the U.S. average |
33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S. |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Wilder and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Manchester and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Manchester 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 |
$77,168±$4k 4% below U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Manchester and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$278,800±$78k 16% below U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37Highest 11% above U.S. |
$1,222±$216 14% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,922Highest 90% above U.S. |
$5,651 81% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Manchester and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
17 min 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| White River Junction and Manchester 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 | — | — |
| 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 Our Story | 6 photos → | None yet | 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.