Compare towns
Hanover vs Manchester vs Dunbarton
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%).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Dunbarton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Manchester | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685 |
115,643Highest |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
38±1 12% below NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Dunbarton and Manchester 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% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Dunbarton and Hanover 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% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Hanover and Dunbarton 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 |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Dunbarton 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% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 27% below NH |
24 min 10% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.3Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.