Compare towns
Hanover vs Canaan vs Exeter vs Lebanon
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).
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Canaan | Exeter | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,479 |
3,811Lowest |
16,151Highest |
14,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% NH: +4.6% |
-2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
38.9±3.1 10% below NH |
| Exeter and Canaan 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% |
14.7%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Canaan 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% |
19.1%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Lebanon 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% |
28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
57.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
7%±2.5 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$98,147±$10k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$385,400±$29k 4% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,744±$132 17% above NH |
| Hanover and Exeter 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 |
$5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$8,149 22% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±17.4 NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8% NH: 7.2% |
13.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4% NH: 72.8% |
77.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 29% below NH |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Lebanon 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 | #83 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | — | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Exeter High School | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.