Compare towns
Amherst vs Bow vs Milford vs Milford
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Milford has the most affordable homes ($358k 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 | Milford | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,861 |
8,335Lowest |
8,956 |
16,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.7±3.7Lowest 15% below NH |
36.8±2.5 15% below NH |
| Amherst and Bow 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% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.2%±4 NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
18.1%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Milford 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% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Milford 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 |
$78,684±$11kLowest 21% below NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$357,800±$16kLowest 11% below NH |
$398,800±$20k about the NH average |
| Amherst and Bow 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 |
$1,557±$120 4% above NH |
$1,661±$126Highest 11% above NH |
| Milford and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$6,978Lowest 5% above NH |
$7,522 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.2%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Milford and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
59.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
12.1%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Bow 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 | #55 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bow School District | — | Milford School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Bow High School | — | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | 10.7 |
| 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.