Compare towns
Boscawen vs Canaan vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boscawen has the most kids (18.1% under 18).
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Hanover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.4%).
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 | Boscawen | Canaan | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,044 |
3,811Lowest |
11,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8% NH: +4.6% |
-2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46±4.2Highest 6% above NH |
44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
| Boscawen and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Boscawen and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.1%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Boscawen and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
28.2% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
7%±2.5 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,328±$27kLowest 22% below NH |
$81,583±$6k 18% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $286,500±$23k 29% below NH |
$254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,265±$307 15% below NH |
$1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,549 about the NH average |
$5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±21Lowest NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
13.6% NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% NH: 72.8% |
77.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±6.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #51 of 120 in NH | #83 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Merrimack Valley School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.