Compare towns
Hanover vs Portsmouth vs Hillsborough
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 highest household income ($170k).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Portsmouth | Hillsborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685 |
22,545Highest |
5,980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Hillsborough and Hanover 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% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth 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% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$84,495±$12kLowest 15% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$5,815Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Hillsborough 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% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 27% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
41 minHighest 54% above NH |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
14%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Portsmouth 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #97 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Portsmouth School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | Portsmouth High School | Hillsboro-Deering High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
11.4Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| 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.