Compare towns
Hanover vs Mendon vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% 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 | Mendon | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,479Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Mendon 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | — | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.