Compare towns
Plaistow vs Dunbarton 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
Plaistow has the most affordable homes ($405k median).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
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 | Plaistow | Dunbarton | Sandown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,861Highest |
3,097Lowest |
6,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7Lowest 7% below NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
40.8±3.7 6% below NH |
| Dunbarton and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sandown and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dunbarton and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Sandown and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,317±$13kLowest 9% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$135,040±$25kHighest 36% above NH |
| Sandown and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$32kLowest about the NH average |
$484,100±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
$483,400±$44k 20% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$187 12% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
| Sandown and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,194Lowest 8% above NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
$8,801Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Sandown and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 7% above NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Plaistow 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH | #71 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Dunbarton School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
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| 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.