Compare towns
Derry vs Athol vs Sandown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Derry has the most renters (29.8% rent).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Athol | Sandown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 34,116Highest |
12,011 |
6,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±1.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
40.8±3.7 5% above U.S. |
| Athol and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sandown and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$7k 35% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$135,040±$25kHighest 67% above U.S. |
| Sandown and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $432,000±$17k 30% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$483,400±$44kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Sandown and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,547±$138 9% above U.S. |
$1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,893±$721Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Sandown and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,103 160% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$8,801Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.1%±48.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sandown and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.4%±13.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #71 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Athol-Royalston | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Pinkerton Academy | Athol High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.9Highest |
11.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.