Compare towns
Nelson vs Hanover vs Roxbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nelson has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Roxbury has the most homeowners (95.5%).
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 | Nelson | Hanover | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 648 |
11,685Highest |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 42.3±11.7 about the NH average |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
43.2±17.7Highest about the NH average |
| Roxbury and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±11.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±10.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.1% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
13.4%±15.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,792±$23k about the NH average |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$49k 15% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$323,100±$219kLowest 20% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,575Lowest 16% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,787 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1976Highest 3 yrs older than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Nelson 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Nelson School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.