Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Hanover vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Hanover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
Lyme has the most homeowners (80.5%).
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 | Brattleboro | Hanover | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
8,479 |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Hanover 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.