Compare towns
Lancaster vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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 | Lancaster | Hanover |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,216Lowest |
8,479Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±6.9Highest 5% above NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±6.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2Lowest NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $68,911±$23kLowest 30% below NH |
$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $215,700±$24kLowest 46% below NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,019±$263Lowest 32% below NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,226Lowest 37% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±17Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 16.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 37 yrs older than NH |
1974Highest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.5%±6.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #107 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | White Mountains Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| 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.