Compare towns
Bow vs Hanover vs Dracut
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).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Hanover | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
8,479 |
32,574Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Dracut 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% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dracut 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% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Bow 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% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26k 90% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% 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. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Dracut 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% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Dracut |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| 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.