Compare towns
Pembroke vs Manchester vs Plaistow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pembroke has the most kids (24% under 18).
Manchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Plaistow has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Pembroke | Manchester | Plaistow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,438Lowest |
115,643Highest |
7,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.3Highest 3% below NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
40.1±3.7 7% below NH |
| Pembroke and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±3.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Plaistow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
34% NH: 40.6% |
34.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,519±$22k 10% below NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$108,317±$13kHighest 9% above NH |
| Plaistow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$404,500±$32kHighest about the NH average |
| Plaistow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$1,664±$187Highest 12% above NH |
| Plaistow and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,589Highest 14% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$7,194 8% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±21.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
55.3%±16.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Plaistow and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.2% NH: 7.2% |
4.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.4% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 8% below NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
| Work from home | 17%±4.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
13.6%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Pembroke 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #66 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pembroke School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Pembroke Academy | Manchester Memorial High School | Timberlane Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
14.3Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
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.