What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).

Chester has the most homeowners (97.7%).

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	Sandown	Chester
People
Population	6,628Highest	5,300Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	40.8±3.7Lowest 6% below NH	47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH
	Chester and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2%	19.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Sandown and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1%	17.4%±4Highest NH: 20.1%
	Chester and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%	41.1%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6%	4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Sandown and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$135,040±$25kLowest 36% above NH	$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH
	Chester and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$483,400±$44kLowest 20% above NH	$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH
	Chester and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,893±$721 27% above NH	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,801Highest 32% above NH	$8,464Lowest 27% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2%	19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Sandown and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.8%Highest NH: 7.2%	4%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.5%Lowest NH: 72.8%	97.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Lowest 7 yrs newer than NH	1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 25% above NH	35 minHighest 31% above NH
Work from home	27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8%	16.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Sandown and Chester 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	#71 of 120 in NH	#90 of 120 in NH
School district	Timberlane Regional School District	Chester 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.