Compare towns
Hanover vs Lyme vs Strafford
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.4%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Strafford has the most affordable homes ($431k 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 | Lyme | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685Highest |
1,710 |
1,372Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Strafford 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% |
70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kLowest 37% 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. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,149Lowest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | — |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Lyme School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.