Compare towns
Sandown vs Plaistow vs Northwood
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 most people working from home (27.4%).
Plaistow has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Northwood has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Plaistow | Northwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,628 |
7,861Highest |
4,688Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.8±3.7 6% below NH |
40.1±3.7Lowest 7% below NH |
42.4±7.8Highest about the NH average |
| Northwood 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% |
19.8%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
18%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Sandown and Plaistow 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%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
21.5%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Northwood and Plaistow 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% |
34.9% NH: 40.6% |
38.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
| Sandown and Northwood 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 |
$108,317±$13kLowest 9% above NH |
$129,375±$23k 31% above NH |
| Sandown and Northwood 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 |
$404,500±$32k about the NH average |
$363,000±$13kLowest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
$1,664±$187 12% above NH |
$1,201±$372Lowest 19% below NH |
| Sandown and Plaistow 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 |
$7,194 8% above NH |
$5,806Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
23.7%±29.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Sandown and Plaistow 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% |
4.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.5% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
89%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above NH |
29 minLowest 7% above NH |
37 minHighest 37% above NH |
| Work from home | 27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.6%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown and Northwood 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #24 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| 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.