Compare towns
Amherst vs Upton 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%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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 | Upton | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5 18% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Upton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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% |
53.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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±$10kLowest 90% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
| Upton and Amherst 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. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% 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. |
$8,376Lowest 169% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Bow 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%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 min 23% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Blackstone Valley | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.2 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.