What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanover has the most kids (26.1% under 18).

Burlington has the most people working from home (22.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hanover	Burlington
People
Population	14,845Lowest	26,274Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±1.4Lowest 4% above MA	45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA
Kids under 18	26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%	17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	58.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Burlington and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA	$146,436±$14kLowest 41% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA	$740,600±$35kLowest 32% above MA
	Hanover and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,845±$341Lowest 5% above MA	$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,342Highest 56% above MA	$6,165Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8%	50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hanover and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%	5.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	74.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA	1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 10% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	19.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Burlington 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	#69 of 282 in MA	#83 of 282 in MA
School district	Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical	Burlington
High school in town	South Shore Vocational Technical High	Burlington High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	11.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.