Compare towns
Lebanon vs Hartford vs Portsmouth vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Hartford has the most kids (18% under 18).
Portsmouth has the oldest housing (typical home built 1959).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
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 | Lebanon | Hartford | Portsmouth | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,999 |
10,736Lowest |
22,545Highest |
11,685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Hartford and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Hartford and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,149 161% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 16% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Lebanon 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT | #11 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lebanon School District | Hartford School District | Portsmouth School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | Lebanon High School | Hartford High School | Portsmouth High School | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
9.6Lowest |
11.4 |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.