Compare towns
Hanover vs Waitsfield vs Lebanon
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).
Waitsfield has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Waitsfield | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,479 |
1,918Lowest |
14,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
44.3±5.3Highest 14% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
| Waitsfield and Lebanon 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% |
23.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Lebanon 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92k 27% above U.S. |
$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | 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 |
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.