What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Goffstown
People
Population	25,612Highest	18,513Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S.	41.3±3.1Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Reading and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%	16%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Reading and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	14.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S.	$113,958±$12kLowest 41% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S.	$377,400±$20kLowest 13% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S.	$1,231±$161Lowest 13% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 199% above U.S.	$6,941Lowest 123% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	58.1%±20Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	28 minLowest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#50 of 282 in MA	#35 of 120 in NH
School district	Reading	Goffstown School District
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Goffstown High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.