Compare towns
Lyme vs Bow vs Hanover vs Orford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Lyme | Bow | Hanover | Orford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,710 |
8,335 |
8,479Highest |
1,295Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
48.9±3.3Highest 13% above NH |
| Orford and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±3.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1% NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
5%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$153,281±$26k 55% above NH |
$92,571±$24kLowest 7% below NH |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,263±$686Lowest 15% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,836Lowest 12% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6 NH: 16.8% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Lyme School District | Bow School District | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | — | Rivendell Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
— | 9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.