Compare towns
Bow vs Dedham 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
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 28.7).
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 | Bow | Dedham | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
25,237Highest |
11,685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kLowest 60% 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 | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$7,918Lowest 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Lowest 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #119 of 282 in MA | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dedham | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dedham High | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
10.7 |
| 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.