Compare towns
Amherst vs Methuen vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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).
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 | Methuen | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861Lowest |
53,475Highest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Amherst 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%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest 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% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773 213% above U.S. |
$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 120 in NH | #236 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Methuen | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Methuen High | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.