Compare towns
Merrimack vs Nashua 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
Nashua has the most renters (44.2% rent).
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 | Nashua | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,164 |
91,294Highest |
11,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.2 4% below NH |
40±1.3Lowest 8% 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 | 22%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
18.6%±1.2Lowest 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+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.9%±1 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Nashua 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% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
5%±0.6 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Merrimack and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $127,219±$16k 28% above NH |
$96,326±$5kLowest about the NH average |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
| Amherst and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,600±$15k 14% above NH |
$403,900±$11kLowest about the NH average |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,932±$147Highest 30% above NH |
$1,737±$41 16% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,345 10% above NH |
$6,799Lowest about the NH average |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.9%±9.4 NH: 48.2% |
45.8%±4.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Nashua and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% NH: 72.8% |
55.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 21%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
17.4%±1.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 120 in NH | #67 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Merrimack School District | Nashua School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Merrimack High School | Nashua High School South | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.8Highest |
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.