Compare towns
Pembroke vs Derry vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pembroke has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Derry has the youngest population (median age 40.3).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Pembroke | Derry | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,438Lowest |
34,116Highest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.6% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.4% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Derry and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$108,944±$7k 10% above NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$20kLowest 8% below NH |
$432,000±$17k 7% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,547±$138Highest 4% above NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
| Derry and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,589Lowest 14% above NH |
$8,103 22% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Derry and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
70.2% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #85 of 120 in NH | #60 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pembroke School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Pembroke Academy | Pinkerton Academy | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
13.9Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.