Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Hanover vs Plainfield vs White River Junction
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).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.3%).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | Hanover | Plainfield | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
11,685Highest |
2,522Lowest |
3,364 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Highest 6% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
33.7±3.2 13% below U.S. |
| Bellows Falls and Plainfield 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Plainfield 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% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$77,168±$4k 4% below U.S. |
| Hanover and Plainfield 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. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$278,800±$78k 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,222±$216 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
$5,651 81% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Bellows Falls 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 17% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Plainfield 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Plainfield School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Hanover High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.