Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Dover vs Hanover vs Westminster
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).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
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 | Dover | Hanover | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
33,364Highest |
11,685 |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Westminster 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% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Westminster 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Dover School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Dover Senior High School | Hanover High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
10.7 |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.