Amherst

Hillsborough Countyβ€’Merrimack Valleyβ€’Population: 11,753

Overview

Amherst is an affluent town in southern Hillsborough County, known for its well-preserved village center of Federal and Colonial-era homes surrounding a traditional town common. The town has intentionally limited commercial development to preserve its rural, historic character.

Amherst's schools consistently rank among the state's best, drawing families willing to pay a premium for the town's combination of top-tier education and open, rural land. The town has no traditional retail center, with most shopping done in nearby Nashua or Milford.

Large-lot single-family homes dominate the housing stock, and the town's zoning has kept density low even as surrounding communities have grown. Amherst attracts affluent families and executives commuting to Nashua, Manchester, or Boston.

Pros & Cons

βœ“ Pros

  • β€’Top schools
  • β€’Historic village
  • β€’Affluent
  • β€’Rural character

βœ— Cons

  • β€’Very expensive
  • β€’Limited shopping
  • β€’Commute distance

Cost of Owning Here

Official property tax rates published by the NH Department of Revenue Administration, plus estimated tax bills for Amherst.

2025 Local Tax Rate
$23.98
per $1,000 assessed value
2025 Effective (Equalized) Rate
$15.87
Equalization ratio: 66%
Municipal
$4.92
Local School
$16.24
State Education
$1.49
County
$1.33

Why "Effective Rate" is a better comparison

New Hampshire towns do not all assess property at the same percentage of market value. The state publishes an annual equalization ratio for every municipality showing how close local assessments are to full market value. A town that assesses homes at only 64% of market value will show an artificially high tax rate compared to a town that assesses at 100%. Multiplying the local rate by the equalization ratio produces an effective (equalized) rate that can be fairly compared across any two towns in the state.

YearTotal RateEffective RateMunicipalLocal SchoolState Ed.County
2025$23.98$15.87$4.92$16.24$1.49$1.33

Source: NH DRA

Example Tax Bills for 2025

Home ValueEstimated Annual TaxEstimated Monthly
$250,000$5,995$500
$350,000$8,393$699
$500,000$11,990$999
$750,000$17,985$1,499
$1,000,000$23,980$1,998

Estimates calculated using the 2025 local tax rate of $23.98 per $1,000 of assessed value. Actual tax bills depend on your property's specific assessed value and any exemptions or credits you may qualify for.

Climate & Environment

Summer Avg High
81.6Β°F
Winter Avg High
38Β°F
Annual Snowfall
47.2 in
Annual Rainfall
50.4 in
Sunny Days/Year
266
Data source: Open-Meteo / ERA5 β€’ Updated 7/3/2026

Transportation & Commute

Commute to Major Cities

Boston
52 mi
~83 min drive
Manchester
14 mi
~29 min drive
Portsmouth
59 mi
~82 min drive
Concord
30 mi
~48 min drive
Data source: OpenRouteService / OpenStreetMap β€’ Updated 7/3/2026

Safety & Crime

Safety Score
10/10
Crime Rate
4.42/1,000
Crime Trend
stable
Data source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/) β€’ Updated 8/12/2026

Recreation & Outdoors

Outdoor Recreation Score
37/100
Trail Miles
35.1
0
Boat Launches
2
State Parks
1
0

Winter & Camping

Snowmobile Trails:0 miles
XC Ski Trails:0 miles
Campgrounds:1

Economy & Demographics

πŸ’°Income

Median Household Income
$151,375
Per Capita Income
$73,143
Median Family Income
$175,112

🏠Housing Costs

Median Home Value
$482,600
Median Rent
$1,320/mo
Homeownership Rate
90.76%

πŸ’ΌEmployment

Unemployment Rate
2.6%
In Labor Force
6,084

πŸŽ“Education

Bachelor's Degree or Higher
36.22%
Total with Degree
3,058

πŸ‘₯Demographics

Median Age
45.9 years
Avg Household Size
2.63 people
Data source: Census ACS 2022 (5-Year) β€’ Census Data Year: 2022 β€’ Updated 7/3/2026

Compare Amherst with Other Towns

See how Amherst stacks up against other NH communities.