Compare towns
Durham vs Bridgewater 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
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
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.
| Measure | Durham | Bridgewater | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681 |
1,169Lowest |
11,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.1% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Hanover and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4% NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$82,361±$9kLowest 17% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$398,600±$65kLowest about the NH average |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211 13% below NH |
$1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.9% NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 120 in NH | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Newfound Area 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.