What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).

Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Amherst	Westfield
People
Population	11,861Lowest	40,378Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S.	39.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	18.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Amherst and Westfield 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%	18.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Amherst and Westfield 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%	33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S.	$87,753±$6kLowest 9% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S.	$325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,462±$256Highest 3% above U.S.	$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,773Highest 213% above U.S.	$4,746Lowest 52% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	46.5%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#20 of 120 in NH	#197 of 282 in MA
School district	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District	Westfield
High school in town	Souhegan Coop High School	Westfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	11.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.