Compare towns
Hancock 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
Hancock has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Hancock | Hanover | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,791Lowest |
11,685Highest |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53.8±4.5Highest 24% above NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±2.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Hancock and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,208±$15kLowest 4% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$22kLowest 8% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$650Lowest 19% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,302±$211 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Lowest 3% 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 | 32.4%±55.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.