Compare towns
Lee vs Dover vs Hanover vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the most homeowners (95.8%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
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.
| Measure | Lee | Dover | Hanover | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,576Lowest |
33,364Highest |
11,685 |
4,932 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
42.8±4.2 about the NH average |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.5%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6% NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
47.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$131,563±$10k 33% above NH |
| Hanover and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$421,000±$33kLowest 5% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,593±$318Lowest 7% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,661 45% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,369Lowest 11% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
17.4%±17.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
91.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
34 minHighest 28% above NH |
| Work from home | 27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
22.4%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Hanover 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #61 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Dover School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Deerfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 10 photos → | None yet | 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.