What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).

Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).

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	Kingston
People
Population	11,861Highest	6,275Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Highest NH: +4.6%	+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.9±3.5Lowest 6% above NH	55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH
Kids under 18	22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2%	13.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1%	24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1%
	Kingston 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%	35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.5Highest NH: 6%	3.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Amherst and Kingston 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 55% above NH	$105,330±$12kLowest 6% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH	$492,900±$58kLowest 22% above NH
	Amherst and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,462±$256Highest about the NH average	$1,393±$156Lowest 7% below NH
	Amherst and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,773Highest 47% above NH	$7,906Lowest 19% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2%	46.9%±46.4Highest NH: 48.2%
	Kingston and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Highest NH: 7.2%	2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	74.4%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 22% above NH	34 minHighest 27% above NH
Work from home	32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8%	15.7%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#20 of 120 in NH	#78 of 120 in NH
School district	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District	Sanborn Regional School District
High school in town	Souhegan Coop High School	Sanborn Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	12.9Highest
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.