Compare towns
Goffstown vs Amherst vs Pelham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Goffstown has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Goffstown | Amherst | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,513Highest |
11,861Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±3.1Lowest 5% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
41.5±2.7 4% below NH |
| Amherst and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,958±$12kLowest 15% above NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
$135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
| Amherst and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,400±$20kLowest 6% below NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
| Pelham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH |
$1,462±$256Highest about the NH average |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
| Amherst and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,941Lowest 4% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±20 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
30 min 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Goffstown School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Goffstown High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
10.4Lowest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.