Compare towns
Hanover vs New Ipswich vs South Hooksett
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%).
New Ipswich has the most kids (29.9% under 18).
South Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 Ipswich | South Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685Highest |
5,310Lowest |
5,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
36.9±2.4Highest 15% below NH |
35.2±3.6 19% below NH |
| New Ipswich and South Hooksett 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% |
29.9%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
12.3%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
14.3%±0.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$110,507±$9kLowest 12% above NH |
$130,000±$15k 31% above NH |
| Hanover and South Hooksett 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 |
$392,400±$31kLowest about the NH average |
$433,200±$40k 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$882±$469Lowest 41% below NH |
$1,471±$217 about the NH average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,647Lowest 15% below NH |
$6,801 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±41.5 NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±25Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and New Ipswich 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.7% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 27% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 120 in NH | #82 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Mascenic Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | Mascenic Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.7Highest |
— |
| 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.


