Compare towns
Walpole vs Manchester vs Wilton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Wilton has the highest household income ($114k).
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 | Wilton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,690Lowest |
115,643Highest |
3,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4 7% above NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
46.8±5.2Highest 8% above NH |
| Wilton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Walpole and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±5.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22%±6.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Walpole and Wilton 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 NH: 40.6% |
34% NH: 40.6% |
36.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
4.5%±2.4 NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,617±$16k 17% below NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$114,349±$21kHighest 15% above NH |
| Wilton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $319,800±$48kLowest 21% below NH |
$365,600±$7k 9% below NH |
$381,500±$23kHighest 5% below NH |
| Wilton and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$150Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,564±$37Highest 5% above NH |
$1,382±$70 7% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,078 9% below NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$7,612Highest 14% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±21.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
47.1%±39.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.2% NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
77%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 12 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1971Highest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below NH |
24 min 10% below NH |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±5.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Wilton 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 | #54 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School | Wilton-Lyndeboro Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3Highest |
9.1Lowest |
| 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.