Compare towns
Brookline vs Hanover vs Windham
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 the most affordable homes ($291k median).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k 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 | Hanover | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
11,685Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Hanover High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.