Compare towns
Nashua vs Pembroke vs Merrimack
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Pembroke has the most kids (24% under 18).
Merrimack has the highest household income ($127k).
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 | Nashua | Pembroke | Merrimack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 91,294Highest |
7,438Lowest |
28,164 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40±1.3Lowest 8% below NH |
41.9±3.3Highest 3% below NH |
41.5±2.2 4% below NH |
| Pembroke and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Nashua and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2% NH: 40.6% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±0.6 NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2Highest 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 | $96,326±$5k about the NH average |
$89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$127,219±$16kHighest 28% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $403,900±$11k about the NH average |
$371,500±$20kLowest 8% below NH |
$458,600±$15kHighest 14% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,737±$41 16% above NH |
$1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,932±$147Highest 30% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,799Lowest about the NH average |
$7,589Highest 14% above NH |
$7,345 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.8%±4.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Pembroke and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% NH: 7.2% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
67.4% NH: 72.8% |
88.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±1.6 NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Merrimack and Nashua 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 | #67 of 120 in NH | #85 of 120 in NH | #58 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Nashua School District | Pembroke School District | Merrimack School District |
| High school in town | Nashua High School South | Pembroke Academy | Merrimack High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.1Highest |
12.5Lowest |
| 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.