Compare towns
Hanover vs New Castle vs Windham
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | New Castle | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685 |
827Lowest |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+3.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
68.8% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kLowest 71% above NH |
$176,953±$29k 79% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and New Castle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $824,900±$61k 105% above NH |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
$723,300±$50kLowest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Lowest 51% above NH |
$3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$3,218±$350 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,509Lowest 28% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Windham 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% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 27% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| New Castle 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 | — | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | New Castle School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.