What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amherst has the most expensive homes ($538k median).

Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k 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	Dorchester
People
Population	11,861Highest	410Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9% NH: +4.6%	—
Median age	45.9±3.5Lowest 6% above NH	56±10.5Highest 29% above NH
	Dorchester and Amherst 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%	11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1%	39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.7%Highest NH: 40.6%	35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.5Highest NH: 6%	0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Amherst and Dorchester 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	—
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH	$139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,462±$256 about the NH average	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,773Highest 47% above NH	$3,779Lowest 43% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.4%±9Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Amherst and Dorchester 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%	18.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%	96.3%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 1 yr older than NH	1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 22% above NH	40 minHighest 50% above NH
Work from home	32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8%	12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#20 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District	—
High school in town	Souhegan Coop High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.