What stands out worked out from the figures below

Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).

Wilton has the most homeowners (77%).

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	Wilton
People
Population	115,643Highest	3,960Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+6%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	38±1Lowest 12% below NH	46.8±5.2Highest 8% above NH
Kids under 18	18%±1Highest NH: 18.2%	13.7%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Manchester and Wilton 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%	22%±6.3Highest NH: 20.1%
	Wilton and Manchester 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%	36.9%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6%	4.5%±2.4Lowest NH: 6%
	Manchester and Wilton 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	$114,349±$21kHighest 15% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH	$381,500±$23kHighest 5% below NH
	Wilton and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,564±$37Highest 5% above NH	$1,382±$70Lowest 7% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,922Lowest 11% below NH	$7,612Highest 14% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2%	47.1%±39.9Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Manchester and Wilton 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%	3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	77%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH	1971Highest 8 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 10% below NH	30 minHighest 12% above NH
Work from home	14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8%	16.7%±5.2Highest NH: 16.8%
	Wilton 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	#54 of 120 in NH
School district	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District	Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District
High school in town	Manchester Memorial High School	Wilton-Lyndeboro Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	9.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.