What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gorham has the oldest population (median age 53.9).

Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gorham	Hanover
People
Population	2,682Lowest	11,685Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.3%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+5.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	53.9±3.6Highest 24% above NH	28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH
Kids under 18	12.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2%	14.4%±2.4Highest NH: 18.2%
	Hanover and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.7%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1%	19.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.7%Lowest NH: 40.6%	88.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 6%	36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$61,275±$7kLowest 38% below NH	$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$161,600±$49kLowest 60% below NH	$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$838±$83Lowest 44% below NH	$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,334Lowest 35% below NH	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41%±20.3Lowest NH: 48.2%	66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2%
	Hanover and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.3%Lowest NH: 7.2%	5.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.6%Lowest NH: 72.8%	73.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH	1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 15% below NH	20 minLowest 27% below NH
Work from home	1.7%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8%	26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#57 of 120 in NH	#1 of 120 in NH
School district	Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District	Dresden School District · Hanover School District
High school in town	Gorham High School	Hanover High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.0Lowest	10.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.