Compare towns
Auburn vs Amherst vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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.
| Measure | Auburn | Amherst | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,119Lowest |
11,861Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Amherst and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 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+ | 55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Auburn and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092 159% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Auburn 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 | #44 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.