Compare towns
Hanover vs Lancaster
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).
Lancaster has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 8,479Highest |
3,216Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-8.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
45.5±6.9Highest 5% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±6.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28.4%±5.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±2.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$68,911±$23kLowest 30% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$215,700±$24kLowest 46% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,019±$263Lowest 32% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,226Lowest 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±17Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
16.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 5 yrs older than NH |
1942Lowest 37 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below NH |
23 minHighest 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.5%±6.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 120 in NH | #107 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | White Mountains Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town |
| 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.