Compare towns
Carroll vs Hanover vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carroll has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
Lyman has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Carroll | Hanover | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 659 |
11,685Highest |
464Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 62.4±4.8Highest 44% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
60.8±6.5 40% above NH |
| Carroll and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 7%±4.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±6.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Hanover and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±4.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
38.6%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Carroll and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
27.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$26kLowest 35% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$71,042±$17k 28% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $261,500±$42kLowest 35% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$311,100±$66k 23% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$241Lowest 28% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,147±$81 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,356Lowest 50% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$3,981 40% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28%±47.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
58.3%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
14.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
89.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 19% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
24 minHighest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 4.6%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
3.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Hanover High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.