Compare towns
Plaistow vs Haverhill vs Sandown vs Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plaistow has the most affordable homes ($405k median).
Haverhill has the most renters (37.2% rent).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
Hooksett has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Haverhill | Sandown | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,861 |
67,698Highest |
6,628Lowest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7 3% above U.S. |
39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.8±3.7 5% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Hooksett and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sandown and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±1.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plaistow and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,317±$13k 34% above U.S. |
$88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$135,040±$25kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
| Sandown and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$32kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$453,900±$9k 36% above U.S. |
$483,400±$44kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
| Sandown and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$187 18% above U.S. |
$1,668±$49 18% above U.S. |
$1,893±$721Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Sandown and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,194 131% above U.S. |
$4,772Lowest 53% above U.S. |
$8,801Highest 182% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.2%±5.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.1%±48.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sandown and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.4%±13.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #243 of 282 in MA | #71 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Timberlane Regional School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Haverhill High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.