Compare towns
Concord vs Derry vs Alton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Concord has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Derry has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Concord | Derry | Alton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
34,116 |
5,994Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.6% NH: +4.6% |
+12.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH |
53.7±3.2Highest 24% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
20.7%±2.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.1%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.4% NH: 40.6% |
35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Derry and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,902±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
$108,944±$7k 10% above NH |
$113,715±$19kHighest 15% above NH |
| Alton and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
$432,000±$17kHighest 7% above NH |
$430,400±$37k 7% above NH |
| Derry and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
$1,547±$138Highest 4% above NH |
— |
| Derry and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227 8% above NH |
$8,103Highest 22% above NH |
$4,183Lowest 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.7%±27.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Derry and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
70.2% NH: 72.8% |
93.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
33 minHighest 24% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8 NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Derry and Concord 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 | #89 of 120 in NH | #60 of 120 in NH | #72 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Pinkerton Academy | Prospect Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
13.9Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.