Compare towns
Brookline vs Windham vs Amherst vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Bow 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 | Brookline | Windham | Amherst | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
16,038Highest |
11,861 |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$153,196±$10kLowest 55% above NH |
$172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1k 68% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
$9,584Lowest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993 14 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Windham School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.