What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Nashua has the most renters (44.2% 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.

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

Measure	Sandown	Nashua
People
Population	6,628Lowest	91,294Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%	+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	40.8±3.7Highest 6% below NH	40±1.3Lowest 8% below NH
	Sandown and Nashua 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%	18.6%±1.2Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Sandown and Nashua 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%	16.9%±1Highest NH: 20.1%
	Nashua 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%	41.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6%	5%±0.6Lowest NH: 6%
	Sandown and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$135,040±$25kHighest 36% above NH	$96,326±$5kLowest about the NH average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$483,400±$44kHighest 20% above NH	$403,900±$11kLowest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH	$1,737±$41Lowest 16% above NH
	Sandown and Nashua 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	$6,799Lowest about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2%	45.8%±4.2Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Sandown and Nashua 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%	7.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	55.8%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH	1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above NH	26 minLowest about the NH average
Work from home	27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8%	17.4%±1.6Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Sandown and Nashua 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	#67 of 120 in NH
School district	Timberlane Regional School District	Nashua School District
High school in town	None in town	Nashua High School South
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.8
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.