Compare towns
Amherst vs Exeter 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%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k 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 | Exeter | Windham | Merrimack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,861Lowest |
16,151 |
16,038 |
28,164Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
41.5±2.2 4% below NH |
| Amherst and Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest 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%±3 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
50.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Exeter 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 |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$127,219±$16k 28% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$458,600±$15k 14% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,932±$147 30% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773 47% above NH |
$8,814 32% 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% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%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 |
1979 same as NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #58 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham School District | Merrimack School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Exeter High School | Windham High School | Merrimack High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.1 |
12.8Highest |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.