Compare towns
Amherst vs Orange vs Roxbury
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 expensive homes ($538k median).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($303k median).
Roxbury has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Orange | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861Highest |
320 |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% NH: +4.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
43.2±17.7 about the NH average |
| Amherst and Roxbury 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% |
20.6%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±11.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Orange 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% |
20%±5 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±10.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Orange 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% |
37.2% NH: 40.6% |
30.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
13.4%±15.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Roxbury and Orange 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 |
$118,750±$39k 20% above NH |
$69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
| Amherst and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$302,600±$35kLowest 25% below NH |
$323,100±$219k 20% below NH |
| Amherst and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256 about the NH average |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$5,132Lowest 23% below NH |
$5,787 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Amherst and Orange 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% |
9.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
28 min 5% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
20.8%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Orange 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 | — | — |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | — | — |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — |
| 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.