Compare towns
Fairlee vs Amherst vs Norton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).
Amherst has the highest household income ($153k).
Norton has the most affordable homes ($200k 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 | Fairlee | Amherst | Norton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54Lowest |
11,861Highest |
108 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 63.5±7.6Highest 63% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Lowest 18% above U.S. |
53.8±6.7 38% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 0%±52.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13%±21.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Amherst and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37%±54.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±15.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±26.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±10.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Norton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $21,071±$13kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$65,625±$23k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,500±$28k 17% below U.S. |
$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$200,000±$32kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,057±$620Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256Highest 3% above U.S. |
— |
| Amherst and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750 20% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$2,769Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±55.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
— |
| Below poverty line | 50%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | — | 33 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 49% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.5%±30.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±18 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Norton 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 | — | #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 History | 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.