Compare towns

Merrimack vs Concord vs Goffstown

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Merrimack has the most people working from home (21%).
Concord has the most renters (43.2% rent).
Goffstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

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.

MeasureMerrimackConcordGoffstown
People
Population
28,164
44,375Highest
18,513Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+4.5%
NH: +4.6%
+3%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+5.2%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
41.5±2.2Highest
4% below NH
40.7±1.3Lowest
6% below NH
41.3±3.1
5% below NH
Merrimack and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22%±2.5Highest
NH: 18.2%
17.2%±1.3
NH: 18.2%
16%±2.5Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Age 65+
16.8%±1.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
18.7%±1.5
NH: 20.1%
19%±2.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
Goffstown and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
50.2%Highest
NH: 40.6%
42.3%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
42.8%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±1.2Lowest
NH: 6%
6%±0.8
NH: 6%
14.5%±1.7Highest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$127,219±$16kHighest
28% above NH
$84,902±$5kLowest
14% below NH
$113,958±$12k
15% above NH
Merrimack and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$458,600±$15kHighest
14% above NH
$350,900±$13kLowest
13% below NH
$377,400±$20k
6% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,932±$147Highest
30% above NH
$1,441±$43
3% below NH
$1,231±$161Lowest
17% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,345Highest
10% above NH
$7,227
8% above NH
$6,941Lowest
4% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
34.9%±9.4Lowest
NH: 48.2%
44.1%±5.2
NH: 48.2%
58.1%±20Highest
NH: 48.2%
Goffstown and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
8.9%Highest
NH: 7.2%
6.4%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
88.9%Highest
NH: 72.8%
56.8%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
82.7%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
6 yrs newer than NH
1969Lowest
10 yrs older than NH
1982
3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the NH average
23 minLowest
14% below NH
28 minHighest
4% above NH
Work from home
21%±3.3Highest
NH: 16.8%
14.1%±1.8
NH: 16.8%
13.8%±2.2Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #58 of 120 in NH #89 of 120 in NH #35 of 120 in NH
School district Merrimack School District Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District Goffstown School District
High school in town Merrimack High School Concord High School Goffstown High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5Lowest
13.0Highest
12.6
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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.