Compare towns
Canaan vs Hanover vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Hanover | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811 |
11,685Highest |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 14% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Wilder and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,583±$6k about the U.S. average |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$26kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985 92% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #83 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Hanover High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
10.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.