Compare towns
Hanover vs Merrimack 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 ($825k median).
Merrimack has the most affordable homes ($459k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Merrimack | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685Lowest |
28,164Highest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
41.5±2.2 4% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$127,219±$16kLowest 28% 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 | $824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$458,600±$15kLowest 14% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,932±$147 30% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Hanover and Merrimack 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 |
$7,345Lowest 10% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.9% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 27% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3Lowest 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 | #58 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Merrimack School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | Merrimack High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
12.5Highest |
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.