Compare towns
Amherst vs Derry vs Mont Vernon
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%).
Derry has the most renters (29.8% rent).
Mont Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
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 | Derry | Mont Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861 |
34,116Highest |
2,636Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH |
42.9±2.8 about the NH average |
| Amherst and Mont Vernon 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% |
20.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.1%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Mont Vernon 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% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±3.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Mont Vernon 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% |
37.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$108,944±$7kLowest 10% above NH |
$158,036±$19kHighest 60% above NH |
| Mont Vernon 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 |
$432,000±$17kLowest 7% above NH |
$526,300±$39k 31% above NH |
| Amherst and Mont Vernon 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 |
$1,547±$138Highest 4% above NH |
$1,104±$185Lowest 26% below NH |
| Derry 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 |
$8,103Lowest 22% above NH |
$9,432 41% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9Highest NH: 48.2% |
51.4%±80.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Derry and Mont Vernon 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% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% NH: 72.8% |
70.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
30 minLowest 12% above NH |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.6%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Mont Vernon 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 | #60 of 120 in NH | #4 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Mont Vernon School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Pinkerton Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
13.9Highest |
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| 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.