Compare towns
Salem vs Bow 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
Salem has the most renters (24.4% rent).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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 | Salem | Bow | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,964Highest |
8,335Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,490±$9kLowest 12% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,300±$16kLowest 18% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$146Highest 9% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Salem and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,992Lowest 5% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±9.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Salem and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Bow 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Salem School District | Bow School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Salem High School | Bow High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
12.8Highest |
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.