Compare towns
Hanover vs Bellows Falls vs Bow vs Durham
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).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
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 | Bow | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,685 |
2,891Lowest |
8,335 |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1 26% below U.S. |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Bow 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%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Hanover 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% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36k 110% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Bow and Hanover 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. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 26% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Bow 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | — | Bow High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.