Compare towns
Grantham vs Pelham 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
Grantham has the most affordable homes ($343k median).
Pelham has the youngest population (median age 41.5).
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 | Grantham | Pelham | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,465Lowest |
14,449Highest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50.4±7.5Highest 16% above NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
| Grantham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest 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+ | 17%±6.9 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.6% NH: 40.6% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±6 NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Pelham and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,403±$54kLowest 7% above NH |
$135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% 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 | $343,100±$39kLowest 15% below NH |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% 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 | — | $1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,462±$256Highest about the NH average |
| Amherst and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,605Lowest 14% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 0%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 16% below NH |
30 min 10% above NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.8%±6.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #6 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Grantham School District | Pelham School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
10.4 |
| 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.