Compare towns
Hanover vs Lyme vs Plymouth vs Portsmouth
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 highest household income ($170k).
Lyme has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Plymouth has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
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 | Plymouth | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,685 |
1,710Lowest |
6,601 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
| Lyme and Portsmouth 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%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Hanover 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% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Portsmouth 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% |
54%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Hanover and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| 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 105% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 27% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
22 minHighest 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 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 | — | #47 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Lyme School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | None in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
11.4 |
| 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.