What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plaistow has the most homeowners (78.1%).

Manchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).

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	Plaistow	Manchester
People
Population	7,861Lowest	115,643Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+5.5%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	40.1±3.7Highest 7% below NH	38±1Lowest 12% below NH
	Plaistow and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.8%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2%	18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Plaistow and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.4%±3.7Highest NH: 20.1%	15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Plaistow and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.9%Highest NH: 40.6%	34%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6%	6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,317±$13kHighest 9% above NH	$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$404,500±$32kHighest about the NH average	$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,664±$187Highest 12% above NH	$1,564±$37Lowest 5% 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	$7,194Highest 8% above NH	$5,922Lowest 11% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.3%±16.9Highest NH: 48.2%	50%±3.6Lowest 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	4.5%Lowest NH: 7.2%	11.2%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.1%Highest NH: 72.8%	48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 1 yr older than NH	1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 7% above NH	24 minLowest 10% below NH
Work from home	13.6%±4Lowest NH: 16.8%	14.1%±1.3Highest NH: 16.8%
	Manchester and Plaistow 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	#66 of 120 in NH	#115 of 120 in NH
School district	Timberlane Regional School District	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District
High school in town	Timberlane Regional High School	Manchester Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	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.