Compare towns
Ashland vs Bow vs Hanover vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 28.7).
Norwich has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Ashland | Bow | Hanover | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
8,335 |
11,685Highest |
3,640 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
40.8±3.2 5% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashland and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
81% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36k 110% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12k 74% above U.S. |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76k 92% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322 3% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #1 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Ashland School District | Bow School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Norwich School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.