Compare towns
Plaistow vs Madbury 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).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
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 | Madbury | Sandown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,861Highest |
2,203Lowest |
6,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7 7% below NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
40.8±3.7Highest 6% below NH |
| Sandown and Plaistow 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% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Plaistow and Madbury 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% |
52.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Sandown and Madbury 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 |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$135,040±$25k 36% above NH |
| Madbury and Sandown 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 |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$483,400±$44kHighest 20% above NH |
| Sandown and Madbury 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 |
$1,574±$759Lowest 6% above 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,801 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 7% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Madbury 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 | — | #71 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Oyster River Coop 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 |
— | — |
| 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.