Compare towns
Hanover vs Bellows Falls vs Johnson vs Windham
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 people working from home (26.4%).
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Johnson has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Johnson | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,685 |
2,891Lowest |
3,450 |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
41.3±6.7Highest 6% above U.S. |
30.9±6.5 21% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
| Bellows Falls and Windham 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%±5 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Johnson 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% |
10.8%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 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% |
32.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% 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% |
14.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36k 110% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$55,346±$14kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Windham 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±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$169,400±$62kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217 59% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$948±$45Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
$3,310Lowest 6% 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%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±20.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 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 | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Windham 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 | — | #57 of 70 in VT | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | — | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | — | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.