The Town FilesAmherst, New Hampshire
Town in Hillsborough County · population 11,753 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $537,600
- Household income
- $153,196
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 45.9
Amherst is a town of 11,753 people in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $537,600, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks more upscale than 99% of New Hampshire towns, better for families than 95% of New Hampshire towns, better for cycling than 76% of New Hampshire towns.
How Amherst ranks
Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Amherst is worth $537,600, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $153,196, which is more affordable than 65% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $1,462 a month. 91.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Amherst | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $537,600 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | $1,462 | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $153,196 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 91.9% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Amherst
| People | Amherst | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.2% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.7% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.4% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.6% | — |
| Work from home | 32.4% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.2% | 92.5% |
Weather in Amherst
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 14.3°F. About 46.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.4 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 159 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Amherst since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 9, 1963 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 19, 1978.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 11, 1980.
Severe weather in Hillsborough County since 1996
Hillsborough County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3445: Covid-19 |
| March 25, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4209: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 19, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4105: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 30, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3360: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County had 201,342 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $79,660 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Amherst itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Amherst
3 public schools with 2,032 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clark-Wilkins School | PK-4 | 697 | 12.0 |
| Souhegan Coop High School | 9-12 | 691 | 10.3 |
| Amherst Middle School | 5-8 | 644 | 11.7 |
Towns near Amherst
- Merrimack, NH4.4 mi · 26,632 people · home $458,600
- Milford, NH5.0 mi · 9,212 people · home $357,800
- Bedford, NH5.3 mi · 23,322 people · home $612,100
- Mont Vernon, NH5.3 mi · 2,584 people · home $526,300
- Milford, NH5.4 mi · 16,131 people · home $398,800
- East Merrimack, NH6.1 mi · 5,176 people · home $291,500
- Litchfield, NH7.0 mi · 8,478 people · home $485,000
- New Boston, NH8.3 mi · 6,108 people · home $481,100
Amherst questions
Is Amherst, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Amherst scores better for retirees than 72% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 40%. 20.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.9).
How much does a house cost in Amherst?
The median owner-occupied home in Amherst is valued at $537,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $153,196, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,462 a month.
What is the weather like in Amherst?
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 14.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.0 inches of precipitation a year and 57.4 inches of snow.
Does Amherst get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Amherst since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 9, 1963. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)