Compare towns
Canaan vs Exeter vs Hanover
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Canaan | Exeter | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811Lowest |
16,151Highest |
11,685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
| Exeter and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Canaan 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Hanover 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% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Exeter High School | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
12.1Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.