Compare towns

Amherst vs Durham vs Hudson

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%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Hudson has the most affordable homes ($439k median).
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.

MeasureAmherstDurhamHudson
People
Population
11,861Lowest
15,080
25,557Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+4.9%
NH: +4.6%
+5.8%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+3.8%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
45.9±3.5Highest
6% above NH
20.8±0.3Lowest
52% below NH
45.7±1.9
6% above NH
Amherst and Hudson 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%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
NH: 18.2%
16.8%±2.1
NH: 18.2%
Age 65+
20.2%±3
NH: 20.1%
11.5%±1.6Lowest
NH: 20.1%
20.7%±2.4Highest
NH: 20.1%
Hudson 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%
NH: 40.6%
75.4%Highest
NH: 40.6%
34.2%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±1.5Lowest
NH: 6%
55.1%±3.2Highest
NH: 6%
7%±1.7
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$153,196±$10kHighest
55% above NH
$124,056±$21kLowest
25% above NH
$124,213±$6k
25% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$537,600±$30kHighest
34% above NH
$504,300±$41k
25% above NH
$438,900±$11kLowest
9% 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
$1,429±$143Lowest
4% below NH
$1,735±$123Highest
16% above NH
Hudson 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
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$6,636Lowest
about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
31.4%±9Lowest
NH: 48.2%
66.4%±16Highest
NH: 48.2%
34.3%±7.2
NH: 48.2%
Below poverty line
4.4%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
15.1%Highest
NH: 7.2%
4.6%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
91.9%Highest
NH: 72.8%
64.4%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
82.6%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1978Lowest
1 yr older than NH
1981
2 yrs newer than NH
1983Highest
4 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
22% above NH
19 minLowest
27% below NH
31 min
18% above NH
Work from home
32.4%±5.5Highest
NH: 16.8%
19.4%±3.5Lowest
NH: 16.8%
19.6%±3.6
NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #20 of 120 in NH #9 of 120 in NH #63 of 120 in NH
School district Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District Oyster River Coop School District Hudson School District
High school in town Souhegan Coop High School Oyster River High School Alvirne High School
Students per teacherat that high school
10.4Lowest
12.3Highest
11.6
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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.