What stands out worked out from the figures below

Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).

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.

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

Measure	Kingston	Amherst
People
Population	6,275Lowest	11,861Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+4.9%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH	45.9±3.5Lowest 6% above NH
Kids under 18	13.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2%	22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1%	20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Kingston and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%	65.7%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 6%	3.7%±1.5Highest NH: 6%
	Amherst and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$105,330±$12kLowest 6% above NH	$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$492,900±$58kLowest 22% above NH	$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH
	Amherst and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,393±$156Lowest 7% below NH	$1,462±$256Highest about the NH average
	Amherst and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,906Lowest 19% above NH	$9,773Highest 47% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±46.4Highest NH: 48.2%	31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Kingston and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2%	4.4%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.4%Lowest NH: 72.8%	91.9%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 27% above NH	33 minLowest 22% above NH
Work from home	15.7%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8%	32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#78 of 120 in NH	#20 of 120 in NH
School district	Sanborn Regional School District	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District
High school in town	Sanborn Regional High School	Souhegan Coop High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	10.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.