What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).

Conway has the most affordable homes ($314k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Amherst	Conway
People
Population	11,861Highest	10,141Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Highest NH: +4.6%	-2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.9±3.5Lowest 6% above NH	55±4.1Highest 27% above NH
Kids under 18	22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2%	12.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1%	35.1%±5.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.7%Highest NH: 40.6%	37.9%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6%	5%±3Highest NH: 6%
	Conway 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±$10kHighest 55% above NH	$64,385±$8kLowest 35% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH	$314,000±$43kLowest 22% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,462±$256Highest about the NH average	$1,095±$141Lowest 27% below NH
	Amherst and Conway 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	$4,087Lowest 39% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2%	47.3%±13.9Highest NH: 48.2%
	Conway and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%	8%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	71.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH	1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 22% above NH	21 minLowest 23% below NH
Work from home	32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8%	13.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#20 of 120 in NH	#76 of 120 in NH
School district	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District	Conway School District
High school in town	Souhegan Coop High School	Kennett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	11.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.