Compare towns
Bow vs Hanover vs Stoddard
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 most kids (25% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Stoddard has the most affordable homes ($330k 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 | Hanover | Stoddard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
11,685Highest |
1,072Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
53±4Highest 22% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Stoddard and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$169,583±$36k 71% above NH |
$94,904±$11kLowest 4% below 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±$34k 26% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$330,300±$20kLowest 18% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$895±$751Lowest 40% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,316Lowest 35% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.6%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Stoddard 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% |
5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4Lowest 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 | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Stoddard School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Hanover High School | None in town |
| 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.