Compare towns
Amherst vs Bow vs Brookline vs Lee
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%).
Bow has the most renters (12.5% rent).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($481k median).
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 | Bow | Brookline | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,861Highest |
8,335 |
5,736 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
| Amherst and Lee 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% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bow 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% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee 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% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$131,579±$54kLowest 33% above NH |
| Bow and Brookline 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 |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$480,600±$61kLowest 19% above NH |
| Brookline and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
— |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773 47% above NH |
$9,584Lowest 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Lee 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% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 22% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
28 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Lee 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bow School District | Brookline School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 10 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.