Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Bow vs Hanover vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 28.7).
Lyme has the oldest population (median age 48.6).
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 | Bellows Falls | Bow | Hanover | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
8,335 |
11,685Highest |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36k 110% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% 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 | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 43% 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 | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% 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. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Hanover 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 | — | Bow School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Lyme School District |
| High school 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.