Compare towns
Merrimack vs Litchfield 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
Merrimack has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Litchfield has the highest household income ($162k).
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.
| Measure | Merrimack | Litchfield | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,164Highest |
8,499Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% NH: +4.6% |
+2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.2Lowest 4% below NH |
43.1±1.7 about the NH average |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Litchfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
14.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.2% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.4%±1.6 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Merrimack and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $127,219±$16kLowest 28% above NH |
$162,036±$11kHighest 64% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Litchfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,600±$15kLowest 14% above NH |
$485,000±$18k 20% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,932±$147 30% above NH |
$2,138±$406Highest 43% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Litchfield and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,345Lowest 10% above NH |
$8,273 24% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.9%±9.4 NH: 48.2% |
81.5%±38.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Litchfield and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3% NH: 7.2% |
1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
29 min 9% above NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 21%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 120 in NH | #53 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Merrimack School District | Litchfield School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Merrimack High School | Campbell High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.4 |
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.