Compare towns
Bow vs Eliot 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 the most kids (25% under 18).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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 | Eliot | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
7,146Lowest |
8,479Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26k 90% 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±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Eliot 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% 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% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Eliot 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.