Compare towns
Cornish vs Hanover vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Lee has the most kids (21.9% under 18).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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 | Cornish | Hanover | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
8,479Highest |
4,576 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
| Hanover and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Hanover 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | — | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.