Compare towns
Amherst vs Hanover 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%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Merrimack has the most affordable homes ($459k median).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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.
| Measure | Amherst | Hanover | Merrimack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861 |
8,479Lowest |
28,164Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% 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%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Merrimack 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% |
17.6%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Hanover 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% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$127,219±$16kLowest 28% above NH |
| Hanover and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$458,600±$15kLowest 14% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,932±$147 30% above NH |
| Hanover and Merrimack 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 |
$7,345Lowest 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4.4% NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6 NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #58 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | — | Merrimack School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | — | Merrimack High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.