What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hyde Park	Amherst
People
Population	513Lowest	11,861Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+4.9% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.6±10.1Lowest 10% above U.S.	45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S.
	Amherst and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Hyde Park and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Amherst and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Amherst and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,946±$10kLowest 11% above U.S.	$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$221,800±$57kLowest 33% below U.S.	$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,306±$285Lowest 8% below U.S.	$1,462±$256Highest 3% above U.S.
	Amherst and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,893Lowest 25% above U.S.	$9,773Highest 213% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±47.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hyde Park and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	33 minHighest 23% above U.S.
Work from home	7.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#59 of 70 in VT	#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 Our Story	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.