Compare towns
Hanover vs St. Albans vs Brighton
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.4%).
St. Albans has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | St. Albans | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685Highest |
6,954 |
1,167Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
45.2±11.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brighton and St. Albans 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% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Brighton 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% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.4Highest |
— |
| 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.