Compare towns
Hanover vs Dover vs Gray
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).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Dover | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685 |
33,364Highest |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hanover and Gray 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% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Gray 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% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Dover School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | Dover Senior High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.7Highest |
12.5 |
| 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.