Compare towns
Hanover vs Stratham vs South Berwick
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 the shortest commute (20 min average).
Stratham has the most homeowners (92.6%).
South Berwick has the most affordable homes ($428k 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 | Stratham | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685Highest |
7,754 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
41.6±4.9Highest 7% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Stratham and South Berwick 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% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13kLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36k 97% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217 59% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83Lowest 22% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 13.0Highest |
| 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.