Compare towns
Amherst vs Brookline vs Milford vs Windham
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%).
Brookline has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Milford has the most renters (40.6% rent).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k 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 | Brookline | Milford | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,861 |
5,736Lowest |
8,956 |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+13% NH: +4.6% |
+4.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
36.7±3.7Lowest 15% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
| Amherst and Brookline 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% |
26.7%±4 NH: 18.2% |
23.2%±4 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Brookline 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% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.1%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 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% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Windham 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 |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$78,684±$11kLowest 21% below NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham 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 |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$357,800±$16kLowest 11% below NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$2,500±$1k 68% above NH |
$1,557±$120 4% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Windham and Brookline 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,978Lowest 5% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.2%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Windham 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% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
59.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1993 14 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 22% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
31 min 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
12.1%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Brookline School District | — | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town | — | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | — | 12.8Highest |
| 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.