Compare towns
Bath vs Bow vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k 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 | Bath | Bow | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
8,335Lowest |
11,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Bath and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36k 110% 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 | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Bow School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Bow High School | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.8 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.