Compare towns
Walpole vs Manchester vs Rockingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Manchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Rockingham has the most affordable homes ($211k median).
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 | Walpole | Manchester | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,690Lowest |
115,643Highest |
4,807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±2.6 19% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockingham and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Manchester and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$81,007±$2k about the U.S. average |
$70,857±$16kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$365,600±$7kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$210,900±$14kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Manchester and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
$1,564±$37Highest 11% above U.S. |
$1,062±$101Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
$4,887Lowest 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±13.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rockingham 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 | #27 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.