Compare towns
Canaan vs Hanover vs Madbury vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k 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 | Hanover | Madbury | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,811 |
11,685Highest |
2,203Lowest |
3,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-8.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
45.5±6.9Highest 5% above NH |
| Lancaster 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±6.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28.4%±5.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
30.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
2.9%±2.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,583±$6k 18% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$68,911±$23kLowest 30% below NH |
| Hanover and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$26k 37% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$215,700±$24kLowest 46% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90 24% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,019±$263Lowest 32% below NH |
| Hanover and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985 10% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,226Lowest 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±17 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% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
16.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1942Lowest 37 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
23 min 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
11.5%±6.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #83 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | — | #107 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | White Mountains Regional School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Hanover High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
10.7Highest |
— | — |
| 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.