Compare towns
Amherst vs Bow vs Newington
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%).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k 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 | Newington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861Highest |
8,335 |
939Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
| Newington 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 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Amherst 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%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Newington 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Newington 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 |
$145,833±$46kLowest 47% above NH |
| 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±$30k 34% above NH |
$506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
| Newington and Bow 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 |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Bow 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 13% below NH |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bow School District | Newington School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Bow High School | 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 |
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.