Compare towns
Hanover vs Calais vs Brattleboro
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).
Calais has the most homeowners (92.4%).
Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
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 | Calais | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685 |
1,713Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Calais 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% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Brattleboro 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% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Calais 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% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,586 111% above U.S. |
$5,700Lowest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 26% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Calais 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 9.0Lowest |
| 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.