Compare towns
Hanover vs Orford vs Dunbarton
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%).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Dunbarton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Orford | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,479Highest |
1,295Lowest |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% NH: +4.6% |
0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
48.9±3.3Highest 13% above NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
| Orford and Dunbarton 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% |
12.3%±3.1 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Orford and Dunbarton 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% |
44% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
5%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$92,571±$24kLowest 7% below NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Hanover and Dunbarton 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 |
$271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,263±$686 15% below NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,836Lowest 12% below NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.8% NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 120 in NH | — | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | — | Rivendell Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.