What stands out worked out from the figures below

Jaffrey has the most affordable homes ($246k median).

Hanover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Jaffrey	Hanover
People
Population	5,448Lowest	11,685Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+5.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	42.9±3.9Highest about the NH average	28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH
Kids under 18	23.1%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2%	14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	18.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 20.1%	19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Hanover and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%	88.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 6%	36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,330±$18kLowest 7% below NH	$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,500±$27kLowest 39% below NH	$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$962±$202Lowest 35% below NH	$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,196Lowest 7% below NH	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±23Lowest NH: 48.2%	66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2%
	Hanover and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%	5.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.8%Highest NH: 72.8%	73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH	1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 8% below NH	20 minLowest 27% below NH
Work from home	7.5%±4.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#87 of 120 in NH	#1 of 120 in NH
School district	Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District	Dresden School District · Hanover School District
High school in town	Conant Middle High School (H)	Hanover High School
Students per teacherat that high school	21.3Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.