Compare towns
Candia vs Hanover vs Loudon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Candia has the most homeowners (91.7%).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
Loudon has the most kids (16.8% under 18).
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 | Candia | Hanover | Loudon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,134Lowest |
11,685Highest |
5,692 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±3.8 12% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
49.5±3.2Highest 14% above NH |
| Loudon and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
16.8%±4.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Loudon and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.1%±4.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22%±4.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Candia and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
29.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.6 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,737±$37k 21% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$106,966±$16kLowest 8% above NH |
| Hanover and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,600±$46k 3% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$363,400±$48kLowest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,213±$554Lowest 19% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,321±$465 11% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,100 9% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,821Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±21.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
45.5%±30.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
89.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
30 min 14% above NH |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
8.9%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #41 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #99 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Candia School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.