Compare towns
Bow vs Franconia 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
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Franconia has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
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 | Franconia | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,060Lowest |
11,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
55.6±7Highest 28% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.2%±5.5 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
36.6%±6.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
57.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5%±5.4Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$87,292±$28kLowest 12% below NH |
$169,583±$36k 71% 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±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$530,300±$96k 32% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,281±$278Lowest 14% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$7,451Lowest 12% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
73.2%±74.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Franconia and Hanover 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% |
11.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
83.1% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
20 min 25% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
11.9%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Lafayette Regional School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.