Compare towns
Sandown vs Townsend vs Epping
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Townsend | Epping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,628Lowest |
9,100Highest |
7,430 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.8±3.7Lowest 5% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Epping and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sandown and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Townsend 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $135,040±$25kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Sandown and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $483,400±$44kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
| Sandown and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$721Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
| 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 182% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.1%±48.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 27% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.4%±13.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | North Middlesex | Epping School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Epping High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
9.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.