Compare towns
Hanover vs Lyme vs Durham vs Durham
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).
Lyme has the oldest population (median age 48.6).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Lyme | Durham | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,479 |
1,710Lowest |
10,681 |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3 50% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±2.2 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 49.8%±2.5 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Hanover and Lyme 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 |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$498,000±$45kLowest 24% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+ at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+ at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+ at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+ at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 29% below NH |
21 minHighest 22% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.7%±6 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Lyme School District | — | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.