Compare towns
Amherst vs Berwick vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Berwick | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861Highest |
8,175 |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5 18% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Berwick and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
$369,100±$19kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Highest 3% above U.S. |
$1,452±$430 about the U.S. average |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Amherst and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773 213% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Lyme 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.