What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).

Sandown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Rye	Sandown
People
Population	5,611Lowest	6,628Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	55.1±3Highest 27% above NH	40.8±3.7Lowest 6% below NH
Kids under 18	18.2%±4Lowest NH: 18.2%	22.6%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2%
	Sandown and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1%	14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	61.5%Highest NH: 40.6%	34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6%	5.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6%
	Sandown and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,655±$39kHighest 42% above NH	$135,040±$25kLowest 36% above NH
	Rye and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH	$483,400±$44kLowest 20% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,781±$156Lowest 19% above NH	$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH
	Sandown and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,519Lowest 13% above NH	$8,801Highest 32% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.3%±16.1Lowest NH: 48.2%	64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2%
	Sandown and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.9%Lowest NH: 7.2%	10.8%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	82.5%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH	1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 8% above NH	33 minHighest 25% above NH
Work from home	30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8%	27.4%±13.4Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Rye and Sandown 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	#2 of 120 in NH	#71 of 120 in NH
School district	Rye School District	Timberlane Regional School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.