Compare towns
Derry vs Amherst vs Hampton Falls 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 (29.8% rent).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Hampton Falls has the most expensive homes ($773k median).
Sandown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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 | Amherst | Hampton Falls | Sandown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 34,116Highest |
11,861 |
2,328Lowest |
6,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+7.5% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
40.8±3.7 6% below NH |
| Hampton Falls and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sandown and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hampton Falls and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.4% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
54.5% NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.1 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 | $108,944±$7kLowest 10% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$166,157±$14kHighest 68% above NH |
$135,040±$25k 36% above NH |
| Hampton Falls and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $432,000±$17kLowest 7% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$772,600±$76kHighest 92% above NH |
$483,400±$44k 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,547±$138 4% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$1,852±$475 24% above NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
| Sandown and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,103Lowest 22% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,801 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±9 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
82.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 16%±2.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Sandown 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 | #20 of 120 in NH | — | #71 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Hampton Falls School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Pinkerton Academy | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.9Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.