What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).

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	Methuen
People
Population	11,861Lowest	53,475Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S.	39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Amherst and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Amherst and Methuen 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 U.S.: 35.7%	31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S.	$113,310±$7kLowest 40% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S.	$499,700±$17kLowest 50% above U.S.
	Amherst and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S.	$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S.
	Methuen and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,773Highest 213% above U.S.	$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	48.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above U.S.	28 minLowest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#20 of 120 in NH	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District	Methuen
High school in town	Souhegan Coop High School	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.