What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).

Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.1).

Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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	Hanover	Brookfield
People
Population	8,479Highest	567Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+6%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH	58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH
Kids under 18	9.8%±2.2Highest NH: 18.2%	8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Hanover and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1%	38.4%±3.4Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	89.2%Highest NH: 40.6%	36.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6%	5.5%±5Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH	$81,406±$31kLowest 18% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH	$428,000±$61kLowest 6% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,254±$249 51% above NH	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH	$5,926Lowest 11% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	72%±17.4 NH: 48.2%	—
Below poverty line	8%Highest NH: 7.2%	3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8%	98.4%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH	1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 29% below NH	27 minHighest about the NH average
Work from home	26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8%	13.7%±6.8Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#1 of 120 in NH	—
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.