Compare towns
Dover vs Cornish 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
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
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 | Dover | Cornish | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,816Lowest |
11,685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Dover and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
24 minHighest 9% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Cornish School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.