Compare towns
Canaan vs Enfield vs Hanover vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Enfield has the most homeowners (82.1%).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Canaan | Enfield | Hanover | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,811Lowest |
4,475 |
11,685Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-2.6% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
58.3±5.4Highest 35% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| Enfield and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
7.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Canaan and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.7%±7.6 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
43% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5 NH: 6% |
2.7%±3.4Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
$95,474±$19k 4% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$390,800±$71k about the NH average |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,181±$563 21% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985 10% below NH |
$6,203 7% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
17.8%±16.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% NH: 7.2% |
16.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3% NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6 NH: 16.8% |
11%±5.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Meredith 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 | #83 of 120 in NH | #5 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | None in town | Hanover High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 10.7 |
11.1Highest |
| 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.