Compare towns
Derry vs Laconia vs Sandown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Derry has the most renters (40.9% rent).
Laconia has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
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 | Derry | Laconia | Sandown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,339Highest |
17,085 |
6,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41±3 5% below NH |
45.3±3.9Highest 5% above NH |
40.8±3.7Lowest 6% below NH |
| Laconia and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±2.8 NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sandown and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.8%±2 NH: 20.1% |
22.8%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
27.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
34.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Derry and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,673±$11k 7% below NH |
$73,218±$12kLowest 26% below NH |
$135,040±$25kHighest 36% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $391,200±$23k about the NH average |
$340,300±$16kLowest 15% below NH |
$483,400±$44kHighest 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,549±$137 4% above NH |
$1,224±$107Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
| Sandown and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,278 9% above NH |
$4,484Lowest 33% below NH |
$8,801Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±9.5 NH: 48.2% |
54.5%±10.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Sandown and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
10.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.2% NH: 72.8% |
82.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.2%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Derry 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 | #60 of 120 in NH | #105 of 120 in NH | #71 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Laconia School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | Laconia High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0 |
— |
| 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.