Compare towns
Hanover vs Madbury vs Plaistow
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 most people working from home (26.4%).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Plaistow has the most affordable homes ($405k 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 | Madbury | Plaistow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685Highest |
2,203Lowest |
7,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
40.1±3.7Highest 7% below NH |
| Plaistow and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Hanover and Plaistow 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% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
34.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$108,317±$13kLowest 9% above NH |
| Hanover and Madbury 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 |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$404,500±$32kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,574±$759Lowest 6% above NH |
$1,664±$187 12% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,194Lowest 8% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
4.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 27% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
13.6%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 120 in NH | — | #66 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | None in town | Timberlane Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.