Compare towns

Dunbarton vs Durham vs Durham 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

Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
Durham has the most renters (46.4% rent).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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.

MeasureDunbartonDurhamDurhamHanover
People
Population
3,097Lowest
10,681
15,080Highest
11,685
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+7.8%
NH: +4.6%
+5.8%
NH: +4.6%
+5.4%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
48±3.7Highest
11% above NH
20.1±0.2Lowest
54% below NH
20.8±0.3
52% below NH
28.7±5.1
34% below NH
Kids under 18
19.8%±3.8Highest
NH: 18.2%
6.5%±2Lowest
NH: 18.2%
10.3%±2.1
NH: 18.2%
14.4%±2.4
NH: 18.2%
Dunbarton and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
20.4%±4.3Highest
NH: 20.1%
7.5%±1.4Lowest
NH: 20.1%
11.5%±1.6
NH: 20.1%
19.7%±2.8
NH: 20.1%
Dunbarton and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
39.6%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
75.4%
NH: 40.6%
75.4%
NH: 40.6%
88.2%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.8%±2Lowest
NH: 6%
70.2%±1.6Highest
NH: 6%
55.1%±3.2
NH: 6%
36.9%±2.4
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$124,348±$21k
26% above NH
$112,070±$25kLowest
13% above NH
$124,056±$21k
25% above NH
$169,583±$36kHighest
71% above NH
Hanover and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$484,100±$33kLowest
20% above NH
$498,000±$45k
24% above NH
$504,300±$41k
25% above NH
$824,900±$61kHighest
105% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,166±$70Lowest
22% below NH
$1,302±$211
13% below NH
$1,429±$143
4% below NH
$2,253±$217Highest
51% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,233Lowest
23% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
54.7%±60.7Lowest
NH: 48.2%
55.4%±19.2
NH: 48.2%
66.4%±16Highest
NH: 48.2%
66.4%±17.5Highest
NH: 48.2%
Below poverty line
3%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
12.4%
NH: 7.2%
15.1%Highest
NH: 7.2%
5.6%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.1%Highest
NH: 72.8%
53.6%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
64.4%
NH: 72.8%
73.7%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1990Highest
11 yrs newer than NH
1973Lowest
6 yrs older than NH
1981
2 yrs newer than NH
1976
3 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
25% above NH
17 minLowest
36% below NH
19 min
27% below NH
20 min
27% below NH
Work from home
12.6%±5.4Lowest
NH: 16.8%
15.6%±3.3
NH: 16.8%
19.4%±3.5
NH: 16.8%
26.4%±5Highest
NH: 16.8%
Hanover and Durham 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 #33 of 120 in NH #9 of 120 in NH #9 of 120 in NH #1 of 120 in NH
School district Dunbarton School District — Oyster River Coop School District Dresden School District · Hanover School District
High school in town None in town — Oyster River High School Hanover High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
12.3Highest
10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet None yet 51 photos → 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.