What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanover has the most expensive homes ($755k median).

Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).

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	Windham
People
Population	14,845Lowest	23,961Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.9% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	41.8±1.4Highest 7% above U.S.	33.7±1.9Lowest 13% below U.S.
Kids under 18	26.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%	20.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hanover and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	56.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	15.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$189,803±$23kHighest 135% above U.S.	$55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$755,400±$39kHighest 127% above U.S.	$209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,845±$341Highest 31% above U.S.	$1,107±$69Lowest 22% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,342Highest 200% above U.S.	$4,633Lowest 49% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65%±23.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	57.1%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hanover and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 21% above U.S.	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.
Work from home	19.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#69 of 282 in MA	#143 of 149 in CT
School district	Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS
High school in town	South Shore Vocational Technical High	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.