Compare towns
Amherst vs Bow vs Pelham
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 highest household income ($173k).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861 |
8,335Lowest |
14,449Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% 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%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7Lowest 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%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Bow 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% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Pelham 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 |
$135,956±$19kLowest 37% 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 |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
| Pelham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
| Bow and Amherst 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 |
$8,634Lowest 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
30 min 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bow School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Bow High School | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.