Compare towns
White River Junction vs Amherst vs Bow vs Bellows Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
White River Junction has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k 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 | White River Junction | Amherst | Bow | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,364 |
11,861Highest |
8,335 |
2,891Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,168±$4k 4% below U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,800±$78k 16% below U.S. |
$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,222±$216 14% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,651 81% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bellows Falls and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #20 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Souhegan Coop High School | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.