Compare towns
Derry vs Sandown vs Milford
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).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
Milford has the youngest population (median age 36.8).
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 | Sandown | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,339Highest |
6,628Lowest |
16,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41±3Highest 5% below NH |
40.8±3.7 6% below NH |
36.8±2.5Lowest 15% below NH |
| Derry and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5 NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Milford and Sandown 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% |
14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Milford and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.7% NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6 NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest 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±$11kLowest 7% below NH |
$135,040±$25kHighest 36% above NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
| Sandown and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $391,200±$23kLowest about the NH average |
$483,400±$44kHighest 20% above NH |
$398,800±$20k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,549±$137Lowest 4% above NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
$1,661±$126 11% above NH |
| Sandown and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,278Lowest 9% above NH |
$8,801Highest 32% above NH |
$7,522 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±9.5 NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8Lowest 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% NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.2%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Milford 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 | #71 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Timberlane Regional School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.