Compare towns
Hanover vs Brookline vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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.
| Measure | Hanover | Brookline | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,479 |
5,736Lowest |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,281±$26k 55% above NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$153,196±$10kLowest 55% above NH |
| Brookline and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$537,600±$30kLowest 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,254±$249 51% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Brookline and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,773Lowest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.7%±6 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Brookline School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
| 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.