Compare towns
Hanover vs Holderness 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
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Amherst has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Holderness | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,479 |
1,917Lowest |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$107,863±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Hanover and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$2,068±$385 39% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Hanover and Holderness 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 |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 8% NH: 7.2% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.7%±6 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | — | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Holderness School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | — | None 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 | 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.