Compare towns
Franconia vs Hanover vs Lyme vs Sugar Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franconia has the most affordable homes ($530k median).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 28.7).
Lyme has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Sugar Hill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.9%).
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 | Franconia | Hanover | Lyme | Sugar Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,060 |
11,685Highest |
1,710 |
658Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+14.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±7 28% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
60.8±2.1Highest 40% above NH |
| Sugar Hill and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±5.5 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 36.6%±6.7 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
37.2%±12.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sugar Hill and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
70.1% NH: 40.6% |
59% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±5.4 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,292±$28kLowest 12% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$154,091±$32k 56% above NH |
| Hanover and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $530,300±$96kLowest 32% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$639,700±$50k 59% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,281±$278 14% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,208±$630Lowest 19% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,451 12% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,340Lowest 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±74.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
40%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Franconia and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
0.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1964Lowest 15 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 25% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Hanover 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Lafayette Regional School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Lyme School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.