Compare towns
Hanover vs Lee vs Eliot vs Lyme
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 youngest population (median age 28.7).
Lee has the most homeowners (95.8%).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Lee | Eliot | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,685Highest |
4,576 |
7,146 |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Lyme 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% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lee and Lyme 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% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Lyme 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% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Lyme 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. |
$480,600±$61kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
— | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Hanover and Eliot 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. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% 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% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Lyme 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.