Compare towns
Amherst vs Peru vs Bow
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%).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($400k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Peru | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861Highest |
434Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.3±8.6 16% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Peru 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% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peru 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
54.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$151,875±$83kLowest 88% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Bow 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±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$400,000±$105kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
$1,271±$820Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Bow 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. |
$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
29%±47.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bow 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Bow 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | — | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | — | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.