Compare towns
Pelham vs Amherst vs Windham vs Dracut
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pelham has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
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 | Pelham | Amherst | Windham | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,449 |
11,861Lowest |
16,038 |
32,574Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amherst and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 177% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #48 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pelham School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Windham School District | Dracut |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Windham High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
10.4Lowest |
12.8 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.