What stands out worked out from the figures below

Merrimack has the most people working from home (21%).

Townsend has the most renters (18% 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	Townsend
People
Population	28,164Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2.2Highest 7% above U.S.	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.
	Merrimack and Townsend 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%	21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Merrimack and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Townsend 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$127,219±$16kHighest 58% above U.S.	$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S.
	Merrimack and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$458,600±$15kHighest 38% above U.S.	$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S.
	Merrimack and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,932±$147Highest 37% above U.S.	$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,345Highest 135% above U.S.	$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.9%±9.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Townsend 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%	8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.
Work from home	21%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#58 of 120 in NH	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Merrimack School District	North Middlesex
High school in town	Merrimack High School	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Lowest	13.1Highest
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.