Compare towns
Rochester vs Sandown vs Derry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
Derry has the youngest population (median age 40.3).
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 | Rochester | Sandown | Derry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,144 |
6,628Lowest |
34,116Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43±1.8Highest about the NH average |
40.8±3.7 6% below NH |
40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH |
| Rochester and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.7%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Sandown and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±1.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
34.1% NH: 40.6% |
37.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Derry and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,836±$3kLowest 18% below NH |
$135,040±$25kHighest 36% above NH |
$108,944±$7k 10% above NH |
| Sandown and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH |
$483,400±$44kHighest 20% above NH |
$432,000±$17k 7% above NH |
| Sandown and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,369±$72Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
$1,547±$138 4% above NH |
| Sandown and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,334Lowest 20% below NH |
$8,801Highest 32% above NH |
$8,103 22% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Sandown and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
70.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Derry 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 | #98 of 120 in NH | #71 of 120 in NH | #60 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rochester School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding High School | None in town | Pinkerton Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.2Lowest |
— | 13.9Highest |
| 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.