Compare towns
Cornish vs Hanover vs Holderness
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 oldest population (median age 54).
Hanover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.4%).
Holderness has the most kids (14.7% 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 | Cornish | Hanover | Holderness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
11,685Highest |
1,917 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
| Cornish and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Holderness and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Cornish 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% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
| Hanover and Holderness 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 |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$2,068±$385 39% above NH |
| Hanover and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Holderness School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | None in town |
| 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.