Compare towns
Enfield vs Portsmouth 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
Enfield has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
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 | Enfield | Portsmouth | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,475Lowest |
22,545Highest |
11,685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.3±5.4Highest 35% above NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 7.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Hanover and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.7%±7.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Enfield and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±3.4Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,474±$19kLowest 4% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,800±$71kLowest about the NH average |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,181±$563Lowest 21% below NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,203Lowest 7% below NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.8%±16.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 11% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 11%±5.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Portsmouth 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 | #5 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Portsmouth School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
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.