What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pelham has the most kids (21% under 18).

Amherst Town has the youngest population (median age 21.4).

Amherst Town is a college town. 59.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Pelham	Amherst Town
People
Population	1,335Lowest	38,182Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.1% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	45±8.4Highest 13% above MA	21.4±0.2Lowest 47% below MA
Kids under 18	21%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%	7.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9%	10.1%±1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	75.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	59.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,750±$24kHighest 9% above MA	$66,968±$7kLowest 36% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$447,600±$33kLowest 20% below MA	$484,900±$21kHighest 14% below MA
	Amherst Town and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,205±$560Lowest 32% below MA	$1,671±$93Highest 5% below MA
	Amherst Town and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,472Lowest 25% above MA	$8,787Highest 47% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.7%±35.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	68.1%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Amherst Town and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.3%Lowest MA: 10%	23.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	44.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 21% below MA	18 minLowest 38% below MA
Work from home	32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6%	21%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#58 of 282 in MA
School district	Pelham	Amherst · Amherst-Pelham
High school in town	None in town	Amherst Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.3
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA 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.