Compare towns
Hanover vs Lyme vs Orford vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 28.7).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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 | Lyme | Orford | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,685Highest |
1,710 |
1,295Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
48.9±3.3Highest 13% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Orford and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Orford 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 NH: 40.6% |
70.1% NH: 40.6% |
44%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5%±2.1 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36k 71% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$92,571±$24kLowest 7% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| 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 105% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,263±$686Lowest 15% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,836Lowest 12% below NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
5.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
75.5% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 27% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Hanover 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 |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Lyme School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | None in town | Rivendell Academy | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | 9.5Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.