Compare towns

Durham vs Hanover vs Upton

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
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.

MeasureDurhamHanoverUpton
People
Population
15,080Highest
11,685
8,189Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
20.8±0.3Lowest
47% below U.S.
28.7±5.1
26% below U.S.
46.4±4.8Highest
19% above U.S.
Kids under 18
10.3%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
14.4%±2.4
U.S.: 22%
23.2%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
11.5%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Upton and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
75.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
88.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
53.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
55.1%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
36.9%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$124,056±$21kLowest
54% above U.S.
$169,583±$36kHighest
110% above U.S.
$155,508±$33k
93% above U.S.
Hanover and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$504,300±$41kLowest
52% above U.S.
$824,900±$61kHighest
148% above U.S.
$576,700±$41k
73% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,429±$143
about the U.S. average
$2,253±$217Highest
59% above U.S.
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$8,376Lowest
169% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±17.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±31Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
15.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 minLowest
27% below U.S.
20 min
26% below U.S.
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
Work from home
19.4%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
26.4%±5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3
U.S.: 15.1%
Hanover and Upton 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 #1 of 120 in NH #46 of 282 in MA
School district Oyster River Coop School District Dresden School District · Hanover School District Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton
High school in town Oyster River High School Hanover High School Blackstone Valley
Students per teacherat that high school
12.3Highest
10.7Lowest
11.2
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 51 photos → None yet None yet

U.S. 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.