Compare towns
Amherst vs Brentwood 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%).
Brentwood has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Brentwood | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861Highest |
4,641 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
43.8±3.1 about the NH average |
42.9±1.9Lowest about the NH average |
| Amherst and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Brentwood 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% |
49%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.4Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Lee and Amherst 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 |
$165,509±$23kHighest 67% above NH |
$131,579±$54kLowest 33% above NH |
| Brentwood 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 |
$528,100±$75k 31% above NH |
$480,600±$61kLowest 19% above NH |
| Amherst and Brentwood 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 |
$2,217±$654Highest 49% above NH |
— |
| Brentwood 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 |
$9,713 46% above NH |
$9,661Lowest 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
63.9%±37.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Brentwood 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% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1995Highest 16 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
28 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.1%±8.5Lowest 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 | #16 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Brentwood School District | Oyster River Coop 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 | 6 photos → | 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.