Compare towns
Amherst vs Bedford vs Merrimack vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Bedford has the most renters (17.1% rent).
Merrimack has the most affordable homes ($459k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Amherst | Bedford | Merrimack | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,861Lowest |
23,746 |
28,164Highest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
+4.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
45±2.2 4% above NH |
41.5±2.2 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Amherst and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
63% NH: 40.6% |
50.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Merrimack and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$127,219±$16kLowest 28% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$612,100±$26k 52% above NH |
$458,600±$15kLowest 14% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$1,932±$147 30% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773 47% above NH |
$9,803 47% above NH |
$7,345Lowest 10% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
31 min 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4 NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Bedford 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 | #20 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #58 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bedford School District | Merrimack School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Bedford High School | Merrimack High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.5 |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.