Compare towns
Hanover vs Canaan vs Windham vs Plymouth
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 people working from home (26.7%).
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Plymouth has the most renters (43.7% rent).
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 | Windham | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,479 |
3,811Lowest |
16,038Highest |
6,601 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% NH: +4.6% |
-2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
44.4±3.7Highest about the NH average |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
24.6±3.4 43% below NH |
| Canaan and Windham 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
19.1%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Canaan 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% |
28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
54% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
7%±2.5 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,281±$26k 55% above NH |
$81,583±$6k 18% below NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
| Windham 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 |
$254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$723,300±$50k 80% above NH |
$292,400±$22k 27% below NH |
| Hanover and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,254±$249 51% above NH |
$1,140±$90 24% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,288 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±17.4 NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest 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% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4% NH: 72.8% |
77.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 29% below NH |
30 min 12% above NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Windham School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Windham High School | Plymouth Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.