Compare towns
Dorchester vs Newington 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
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Newington has the most kids (15.7% 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 | Dorchester | Newington | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
939 |
11,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5Highest 29% above NH |
48.7±10.1 12% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
| Dorchester and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Newington 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 NH: 20.1% |
28%±11 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Newington 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 NH: 40.6% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $145,833±$46kLowest 47% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Hanover and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$824,900±$61k 105% above NH |
| Newington and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
$2,253±$217Lowest 51% above NH |
| Newington and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$6,081 9% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.9% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Newington 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.