Compare towns

Newmarket vs Lee vs Hanover vs Milford

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Lee has the most homeowners (95.8%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Milford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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.

MeasureNewmarketLeeHanoverMilford
People
Population
9,463
4,576Lowest
11,685
16,337Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.5%
NH: +4.6%
+4.4%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+5.4%
NH: +4.6%
+6.7%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
41.2±1.9
5% below NH
42.9±1.9Highest
about the NH average
28.7±5.1Lowest
34% below NH
36.8±2.5
15% below NH
Lee and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
15.6%±2.7
NH: 18.2%
21.9%±5.6
NH: 18.2%
14.4%±2.4Lowest
NH: 18.2%
23.7%±3.6Highest
NH: 18.2%
Milford and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.1%±2.8
NH: 20.1%
22.6%±6.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
19.7%±2.8
NH: 20.1%
15.1%±1.9Lowest
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+
49.7%
NH: 40.6%
50.6%
NH: 40.6%
88.2%Highest
NH: 40.6%
37.2%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9
NH: 6%
5.4%±2.6
NH: 6%
36.9%±2.4Highest
NH: 6%
4.2%±1.3Lowest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$100,845±$13k
about the NH average
$131,579±$54k
33% above NH
$169,583±$36kHighest
71% above NH
$97,768±$14kLowest
about the NH average
Hanover and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$455,000±$22k
13% above NH
$480,600±$61k
19% above NH
$824,900±$61kHighest
105% above NH
$398,800±$20kLowest
about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,671±$69
12% above NH
—
$2,253±$217Highest
51% above NH
$1,661±$126Lowest
11% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,734
31% above NH
$9,661
45% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$7,522Lowest
13% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.3%±8.3
NH: 48.2%
38.3%±53.3Lowest
NH: 48.2%
66.4%±17.5Highest
NH: 48.2%
49.6%±15.8
NH: 48.2%
Hanover and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.6%
NH: 7.2%
2.6%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
5.6%Highest
NH: 7.2%
3.9%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.9%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
95.8%Highest
NH: 72.8%
73.7%
NH: 72.8%
64.9%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983
4 yrs newer than NH
1987Highest
8 yrs newer than NH
1976Lowest
3 yrs older than NH
1982
3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
6% above NH
28 min
about the NH average
20 minLowest
27% below NH
27 min
about the NH average
Work from home
17.3%±3.3
NH: 16.8%
27.6%±8.8Highest
NH: 16.8%
26.4%±5
NH: 16.8%
15.6%±3.3Lowest
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 #39 of 120 in NH #3 of 120 in NH #1 of 120 in NH #55 of 120 in NH
School district Newmarket School District Oyster River Coop School District Dresden School District · Hanover School District Milford School District
High school in town Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School None in town Hanover High School Milford High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.9Lowest
—
10.7Highest
10.7Highest
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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.