What stands out worked out from the figures below

Center Harbor has the oldest population (median age 60.4).

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.

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

Measure	Center Harbor	Amherst
People
Population	955Lowest	11,861Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+4.9%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH	45.9±3.5Lowest 6% above NH
Kids under 18	11.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2%	22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1%	20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%	65.7%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%	3.7%±1.5Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,313±$16kLowest 5% above NH	$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$463,800±$74kLowest 15% above NH	$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH
	Amherst and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,462±$256 about the NH average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,667Lowest 30% below NH	$9,773Highest 47% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2%	31.4%±9Highest NH: 48.2%
	Amherst and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2%Lowest NH: 7.2%	4.4%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91%Lowest NH: 72.8%	91.9%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 8% below NH	33 minHighest 22% above NH
Work from home	8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8%	32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#20 of 120 in NH
School district	—	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District
High school in town	—	Souhegan Coop High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.4
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.