Compare towns
Hanover vs Northwood vs New Boston
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 expensive homes ($825k median).
Northwood has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
New Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.8%).
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 | Northwood | New Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685Highest |
4,688Lowest |
6,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+14.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
42.4±7.8Highest about the NH average |
38.8±3.4 10% below NH |
| Northwood and New Boston 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% |
18%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
27.2%±5.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| New Boston and Northwood 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% |
21.5%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17%±4.3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Northwood 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% |
38.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
3.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$129,375±$23kLowest 31% above NH |
$154,250±$25k 56% above NH |
| Hanover and New Boston 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 |
$363,000±$13kLowest 10% below NH |
$481,100±$59k 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,201±$372 19% below NH |
$1,193±$111Lowest 20% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,806Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,181 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.7%±29.2 NH: 48.2% |
22.8%±20.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
89%Highest NH: 72.8% |
88% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 27% below NH |
37 minHighest 37% above NH |
36 min 33% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±6.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±6.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and New Boston 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 | #24 of 120 in NH | #21 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District | New Boston School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.5Highest |
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| 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.