Compare towns
Lyme vs Stratham vs Orford 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
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Stratham has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 28.7).
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 | Lyme | Stratham | Orford | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,710 |
7,754 |
1,295Lowest |
11,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
48.9±3.3Highest 13% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below 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% |
23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest 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% |
69.9% NH: 40.6% |
44%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
5%±2.1 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
$92,571±$24kLowest 7% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Hanover and Stratham 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 |
$655,400±$36k 63% above NH |
$271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,263±$686Lowest 15% below NH |
$2,253±$217 51% above NH |
| Stratham and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,781 47% above NH |
$5,836Lowest 12% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2 NH: 48.2% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Stratham 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% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5% NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.5% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min 4% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 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 | — | #43 of 120 in NH | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Rivendell Academy | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| 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.