Compare towns
Hanover vs Middlesex vs Westford
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 the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Middlesex has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
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 | Middlesex | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685Highest |
1,943Lowest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.1±8.6 13% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Westford 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.5%±4.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kLowest 36% above U.S. |
$112,750±$12k 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217 59% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$2,375±$1kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Westford and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$6,282Lowest 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Westford 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% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| 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.