Compare towns
Bow vs Gray 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%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
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 | Gray | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
8,429 |
11,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Gray 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% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hanover and Gray 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% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% 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±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% 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%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Gray 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.5 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.