What stands out worked out from the figures below

Laconia has the most expensive homes ($340k median).

Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Laconia	Sandgate
People
Population	17,085Highest	435Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.8% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	45.3±3.9Lowest 16% above U.S.	55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%	13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Laconia and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.8%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Sandgate and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	37.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Laconia and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$73,218±$12kHighest 9% below U.S.	$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S.
	Laconia and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$340,300±$16kHighest about the U.S. average	$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,224±$107 13% below U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,484Highest 44% above U.S.	$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.5%±10.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Laconia and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S.	1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 36% below U.S.	27 minHighest 3% above U.S.
Work from home	13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sandgate and Laconia 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	#105 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Laconia School District	—
High school in town	Laconia High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.