Compare towns
Center Harbor vs Madbury 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
Center Harbor has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
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 | Center Harbor | Madbury | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 955Lowest |
2,203 |
11,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,313±$16kLowest 5% above NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above 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 | $463,800±$74kLowest 15% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,574±$759Lowest 6% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Hanover and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,667Lowest 30% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 8% below NH |
25 minHighest 5% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.