Compare towns
Nashua vs Upton vs Merrimack
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nashua has the most renters (44.2% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Merrimack has the most homeowners (88.9%).
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 | Upton | Merrimack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 91,294Highest |
8,189Lowest |
28,164 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.5±2.2 7% above U.S. |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$5kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$127,219±$16k 58% above U.S. |
| Upton and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $403,900±$11kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$458,600±$15k 38% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,737±$41 23% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,932±$147Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,799Lowest 118% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,345 135% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.8%±4.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.9%±9.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Merrimack 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #58 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Nashua School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Merrimack School District |
| High school in town | Nashua High School South | Blackstone Valley | Merrimack High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.2Lowest |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.