Compare towns
Sandown vs Epping vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandown has the highest household income ($135k).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Sandown | Epping | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,628Lowest |
7,430Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.8±3.7Lowest 6% below NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Sandown and Epping 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% |
22.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $135,040±$25kHighest 36% above NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Sandown and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $483,400±$44kHighest 20% above NH |
$436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Sandown and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
$1,742±$576 17% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Sandown and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,801Highest 32% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.1%±48.3 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Sandown 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% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Epping School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.