Compare towns
Amherst vs Townsend vs Merrimack
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%).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
Merrimack has the shortest commute (27 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 | Townsend | Merrimack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861 |
9,100Lowest |
28,164Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.5±2.2 7% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Amherst and Merrimack 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amherst and Townsend 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% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$127,219±$16k 58% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Merrimack 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. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$458,600±$15k 38% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,932±$147Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$7,345 135% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.9%±9.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Merrimack 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 23% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA | #58 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | North Middlesex | Merrimack School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | North Middlesex Regional | Merrimack High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.5 |
| 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.