What stands out worked out from the figures below

Merrimack has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).

St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).

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	Merrimack	St. Albans
People
Population	28,164Highest	6,954Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2.2Highest 7% above U.S.	38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average
	Merrimack and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22%	20.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Merrimack and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Merrimack and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Merrimack and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$127,219±$16kHighest 58% above U.S.	$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$458,600±$15kHighest 38% above U.S.	$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,932±$147Highest 37% above U.S.	$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,345Highest 135% above U.S.	$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.9%±9.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	St. Albans and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	21%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#58 of 120 in NH	#46 of 70 in VT
School district	Merrimack School District	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57
High school in town	Merrimack High School	Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Highest	11.4Lowest
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.