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23. Merrimack, NH
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Merrimack, NH
23
Top 50 rank: 23
Population: 25,686

Merrimack is increasingly a hot spot for jobs. The town is home to military engineering firm Nanocorp, a range of startups and, soon, the headquarters of medical device manufacturer Atrium Medical. Visitors and residents alike are drawn to the Anheuser-Busch factory, and a premium outlet mall opened on the outskirts of town last year, bringing new jobs and tourists.

Several parks, a strong youth-recreation program, and proximity to the Merrimack River keep residents busy year-round. --K.F.

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Merrimack, NH
Town stats
Median family income (per year)
$99,434
Job growth % (2010-2012)
4.52%
Median home price (2012)
$184,764
Reading test scores (% above/below average)
4.2%
Math test scores (% above/below average)
8.2%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000)
0
Property crime incidents (per 1,000)
10
Financials
Town stats
Median family income (per year)
$99,434
Family purchasing power (annual, cost-of-living adjusted)
$83,062
Sales tax (state)
0.00%
State income tax rate (highest bracket)
0.00%
State income tax rate (lowest bracket)
0.00%
Auto insurance premiums (Average price quotes, for the state)
$1,452
Job growth % (2010-2012)
4.52%
Housing
Median home price (2012)
$184,764
Average property taxes
(2012)
$2,394
Education
Reading test scores (% above/below state average)
4.2%
Test scores math (% above/below average)
8.2%
% students attending public/private schools (located within town limits)
90.2/9.8
Quality of life
Air quality index* (% of days AQI ranked as good)
88.3%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000)
0
Property crime incidents (per 1,000)
10
Median commute time (in minutes)
22.0
% population with commute 45 mins. or longer
16.6%
% population walk or bike to work
0.8%
Leisure and culture
Arts funding (Dollars per person of state funds spent on arts)
0.6
Weather
Annual rainfall (inches)
37.6
% clear days in the area
55%
High temp in July ° F
82.5°
Low temp in Jan ° F
12.1°
Meet the neighbors
Median age
40.2
Completed at least some college (% of residents)
67.3%
Married %
62.1%
Divorced %
7.9%
Racial diversity index (100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity)
19.6
View moreless See Merrimack homes for sale
From the September 2013 issue

Source: Onboard Informatics. Details

Is Merrimack a great town, or what?
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  • Merrimack real estate
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Fan Favorite Towns

Money picked the top 100. Now it's your turn: Which town will be our fan favorite? 'Like' your town and it might just make it to No. 1.

Town # of Likes
1. Sharon, MA 11,968
2. Apex, NC 10,738
3. Westford, MA 6,023
4. Peachtree City, GA 5,632
5. Hillsborough, NJ 5,329
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How we pick the Best Places
Using statistics from data services company Onboard Informatics and other sources, we crunched the numbers in order to zero in on America's best small towns for families. (Last year, we looked at small cities, with populations between 50,000 and 300,000.) More

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