Compare towns
Mapleton vs Merrimack vs Pelham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Merrimack has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Mapleton | Merrimack | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
28,164Highest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Mapleton and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mapleton and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$127,219±$16k 58% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$458,600±$15k 38% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,932±$147Highest 37% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$7,345 135% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.9%±9.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Merrimack 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 | — | #58 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Merrimack School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Merrimack High School | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.