Compare towns
Amherst vs Deerfield vs Durham
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%).
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Deerfield | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861 |
4,932Lowest |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
42.8±4.2 about the NH average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Amherst and Deerfield 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% |
20.9%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Deerfield 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% |
17.5%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.7% NH: 40.6% |
47.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
3.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
$131,563±$10k 33% above NH |
$124,056±$21kLowest 25% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$421,000±$33kLowest 5% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Amherst and Durham 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 |
$1,593±$318Highest 7% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
| Deerfield and Amherst 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 |
$7,369Lowest 11% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
17.4%±17.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.3% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 22% above NH |
34 minHighest 28% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.4%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Deerfield 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 | #61 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Deerfield School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 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.