What stands out worked out from the figures below

Weare has the most homeowners (93.5%).

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	Weare	Manchester
People
Population	9,170Lowest	115,643Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+5.5%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.6±4Highest 5% above NH	38±1Lowest 12% below NH
Kids under 18	22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2%	18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Weare and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1%	15.5%±0.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Manchester and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.2%Highest NH: 40.6%	34%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6%	6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$118,271±$17kHighest 19% above NH	$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,300±$26kHighest about the NH average	$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH
	Weare and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,541±$214Lowest 3% above NH	$1,564±$37Highest 5% above NH
	Manchester and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,272Highest 6% below NH	$5,922Lowest 11% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2%	50%±3.6Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Weare and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%	11.2%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH	1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 34% above NH	24 minLowest 10% below NH
Work from home	22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8%	14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#84 of 120 in NH	#115 of 120 in NH
School district	John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District
High school in town	John Stark 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.