Compare towns
Dorchester vs Hanover vs Thetford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Thetford has the most kids (15.4% 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 | Dorchester | Hanover | Thetford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
11,685Highest |
2,813 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±10.5Highest 44% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
43.6±6.2 12% above U.S. |
| Dorchester and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Thetford and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dorchester and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
68% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±4.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$88,045±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 58% below U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$329,500±$96k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,141±$96Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,948 123% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±30.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 120 in NH | #40 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Thetford School District |
| High school 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 |
U.S. 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.