Compare towns
Bow vs Durham vs Hanover vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Lyme has the oldest population (median age 48.6).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Durham | Hanover | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,681 |
11,685Highest |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
| Lyme 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 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
70.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH |
$169,583±$36k 71% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
| 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±$34k 26% above NH |
$498,000±$45kLowest 24% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Lowest 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #9 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 |
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.