Compare towns
Hanover vs Plainfield vs Lebanon
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).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Lebanon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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 | Plainfield | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,479 |
2,522Lowest |
14,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
38.9±6.5Highest 10% below NH |
38.9±3.1Highest 10% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±2.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lebanon and Plainfield 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% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$98,147±$10kLowest about the NH average |
| Hanover and Plainfield 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 |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$385,400±$29kLowest 4% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,674±$181Lowest 12% above NH |
$1,744±$132 17% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$8,149 22% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4% NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 29% below NH |
22 minHighest 18% below NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Lebanon 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Plainfield School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
| 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.