Compare towns
Amherst vs Dracut vs Stratham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k 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.
| Measure | Amherst | Dracut | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861 |
32,574Highest |
7,754Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dracut and Stratham 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 90% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773 213% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Stratham 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Dracut | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Dracut Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.9Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.