What stands out worked out from the figures below

Waitsfield has the most homeowners (79.9%).

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	Waitsfield	Manchester
People
Population	1,918Lowest	115,643Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±5.3Highest 14% above U.S.	38±1Lowest about the U.S. average
	Waitsfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22%	18%±1Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Waitsfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	63.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Manchester and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,375±$34kHighest 5% above U.S.	$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average
	Waitsfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$422,400±$92kHighest 27% above U.S.	$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S.
	Waitsfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,564±$37Highest 11% above U.S.
	Manchester and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,208Highest 99% above U.S.	$5,922Lowest 90% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±30.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Manchester and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest same as U.S.	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 5% below U.S.	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	19%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Waitsfield 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	—	#115 of 120 in NH
School district	Harwood Unified Union School District #60	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District
High school in town	None in town	Manchester Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	14.3
On TownTapestry
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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.