What stands out worked out from the figures below

Milford has the most homeowners (64.9%).

Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).

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	Milford	Manchester
People
Population	16,337Lowest	115,643Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6%	+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	36.8±2.5Lowest 15% below NH	38±1Highest 12% below NH
	Manchester and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2%	18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1%	15.5%±0.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Manchester and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.2%Highest NH: 40.6%	34%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6%	6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,768±$14kHighest about the NH average	$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$398,800±$20kHighest about the NH average	$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,661±$126Highest 11% above NH	$1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH
	Milford and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,522Highest 13% above NH	$5,922Lowest 11% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.6%±15.8Lowest NH: 48.2%	50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2%
	Manchester and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2%	11.2%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the NH average	24 minLowest 10% below NH
Work from home	15.6%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8%	14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Milford 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	#55 of 120 in NH	#115 of 120 in NH
School district	Milford School District	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District
High school in town	Milford High School	Manchester Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	14.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	6 photos →

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.