Compare towns
Bow vs Hanover vs Orford vs Brookline
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 highest household income ($173k).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Orford | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
8,479Highest |
1,295Lowest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
48.9±3.3Highest 13% above NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±3.1 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bow 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% |
17.6%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
5%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$153,281±$26k 55% above NH |
$92,571±$24kLowest 7% below NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
| Bow and Brookline 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 |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,254±$249 51% above NH |
$1,263±$686Lowest 15% below NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
| Brookline and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,836Lowest 12% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.8%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.8% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Brookline 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 | — | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | Rivendell Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 9.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.