Compare towns
Alstead vs Bow vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Alstead | Bow | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Lowest |
8,335 |
11,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 29% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11kLowest 35% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$169,583±$36k 71% above NH |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37kLowest 33% below NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322Lowest 20% below NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Alstead and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 19% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Bow 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Bow School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.