Compare towns
Durham vs Bow vs Hanover vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Durham has the most renters (46.4% rent).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Bow | Hanover | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
8,335Lowest |
11,685 |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hanover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$169,583±$36k 71% above NH |
$112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$498,000±$45kLowest 24% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,584Lowest 44% 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 | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
20 min 27% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Bow 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Bow School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Bow High School | Hanover High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | 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.