Compare towns
Sandgate vs Amherst vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandgate has the most affordable homes ($194k median).
Amherst has the highest household income ($153k).
Ira has the most renters (9.3% rent).
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 | Sandgate | Amherst | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435 |
11,861Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Lowest 18% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5 39% above U.S. |
| Sandgate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amherst and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amherst and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,462±$256Highest 3% above U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ira and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Amherst 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 | — | #20 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Souhegan Coop High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.