Compare towns
Bow vs Merrimack vs Stratham vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Merrimack has the most affordable homes ($459k median).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Bow | Merrimack | Stratham | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
28,164Highest |
7,754Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
41.5±2.2Lowest 4% below NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Stratham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
50.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
65.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$127,219±$16kLowest 28% above NH |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$458,600±$15kLowest 14% above NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,932±$147 30% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$7,345Lowest 10% above NH |
$9,781Highest 47% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.9% NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Stratham 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #58 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Merrimack School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Merrimack High School | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.5 |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.