Compare towns
Amherst vs Derry vs Windham vs Merrimack
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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Merrimack has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Windham | Merrimack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,861Lowest |
34,116Highest |
16,038 |
28,164 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
41.5±2.2 4% below NH |
| Amherst and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
20.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Amherst 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% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Merrimack 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% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
50.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Derry and Merrimack 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 |
$108,944±$7kLowest 10% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$127,219±$16k 28% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$432,000±$17kLowest 7% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$458,600±$15k 14% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$1,547±$138 4% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,932±$147 30% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773 47% above NH |
$8,103 22% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,345Lowest 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Derry 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% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% NH: 72.8% |
70.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
88.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 120 in NH | #60 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #58 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Windham School District | Merrimack School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Pinkerton Academy | Windham High School | Merrimack High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
13.9Highest |
12.8 |
12.5 |
| 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.