Compare towns
Canaan vs Lancaster vs Orange 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
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
Orange has the most homeowners (97.5%).
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 | Lancaster | Orange | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,811 |
3,216 |
320Lowest |
11,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9% NH: +4.6% |
-8.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
— | +5.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
45.5±6.9Highest 5% above NH |
41.3±9.1 5% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below 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% |
20.9%±6.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lancaster and Orange 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% |
28.4%±5.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20%±5 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Lancaster and Orange 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% |
30.1% NH: 40.6% |
37.2% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5 NH: 6% |
2.9%±2.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,583±$6k 18% below NH |
$68,911±$23kLowest 30% below NH |
$118,750±$39k 20% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Hanover and Orange 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 |
$215,700±$24kLowest 46% below NH |
$302,600±$35k 25% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90 24% below NH |
$1,019±$263Lowest 32% below NH |
— | $2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985 10% below NH |
$4,226Lowest 37% below NH |
$5,132 23% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±17 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest 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% NH: 7.2% |
16.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
9.4% NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3% NH: 72.8% |
75.1% NH: 72.8% |
97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1942Lowest 37 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above NH |
23 min 14% below NH |
28 min 5% above NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6 NH: 16.8% |
11.5%±6.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.8%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Orange 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 | #107 of 120 in NH | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | White Mountains Regional School District | — | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | None in town | — | 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 | 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.