Compare towns
Nashua vs Rye vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nashua has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
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.
| Measure | Nashua | Rye | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 91,294 |
5,611Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40±1.3 8% below NH |
55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4 NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Nashua and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2% NH: 40.6% |
61.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±0.6 NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,326±$5k about the NH average |
$140,655±$39kHighest 42% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $403,900±$11k about the NH average |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,737±$41 16% above NH |
$1,781±$156Highest 19% above NH |
$1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
| Rye and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,799 about the NH average |
$7,519Highest 13% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.8%±4.2 NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Manchester and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% NH: 7.2% |
6.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.8% NH: 72.8% |
85.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
1972 7 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the NH average |
29 minHighest 8% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 17.4%±1.6 NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #67 of 120 in NH | #2 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Nashua School District | Rye School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | Nashua High School South | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.