Compare towns
Amherst vs Bedford vs New Boston
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
New Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.8%).
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 | New Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861 |
23,746Highest |
6,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
+14.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
45±2.2 4% above NH |
38.8±3.4Lowest 10% 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%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
27.2%±5.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| New Boston 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% |
17%±4.3Lowest 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% |
44.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10kLowest 55% above NH |
$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$154,250±$25k 56% above NH |
| Bedford and New Boston 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±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$481,100±$59kLowest 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,193±$111Lowest 20% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773 47% above NH |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$8,181Lowest 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
22.8%±20.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 22% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
36 minHighest 33% above NH |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4 NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±6.5Lowest 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 | #21 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bedford School District | New Boston School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Bedford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.