Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sandown vs Epping
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Plainfield | Sandown | Epping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
6,628 |
7,430Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
40.8±3.7 6% below NH |
45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH |
| Epping and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$135,040±$25kHighest 36% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
| Sandown and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$483,400±$44kHighest 20% above NH |
$436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH |
| Sandown and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Lowest 12% above NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
$1,742±$576 17% above NH |
| Sandown and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 19% above NH |
$8,801Highest 32% above NH |
$6,936Lowest 4% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Epping 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #71 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Epping School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Epping High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.3 |
| 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.