Compare towns
White River Junction vs Amherst vs Bow vs Wilder
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 most renters (56.1% rent).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,364 |
11,861Highest |
8,335 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest 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. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Amherst 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% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2% 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% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder 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. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% 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. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% 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. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% 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. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| White River Junction and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% 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% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer 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 |
17 min 37% 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% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest 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.