Compare towns
Suncook vs Pelham 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
Suncook has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Suncook | Pelham | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,432Lowest |
14,449Highest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±8.1Lowest 12% below NH |
41.5±2.7 4% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±3.3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Pelham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,836±$25kLowest 19% below NH |
$135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
| Amherst and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,100±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Pelham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,091±$317Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
$1,462±$256Highest about the NH average |
| Amherst and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,975Lowest 5% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.2%±21.7 NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 28 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
30 min 10% above NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.5%±6.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #48 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Pelham School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | — | Pelham High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
10.4 |
| 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.