Compare towns
Brookline vs Dover vs Hanover vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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 | Brookline | Dover | Hanover | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
33,364Highest |
11,685 |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hanover and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36k 110% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217 59% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | Dover School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Hanover High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
10.7Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.