Compare towns
Hanover vs Bellows Falls vs Bedford
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 ($825k median).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Bellows Falls | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685 |
2,891Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | — | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | — | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.