Compare towns
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
Orford has the oldest population (median age 48.9).
Hanover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
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 | Orford | Hanover |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,295Lowest |
8,479Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.9±3.3Highest 13% above NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Orford and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $92,571±$24kLowest 7% below NH |
$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,263±$686Lowest 15% below NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,836Lowest 12% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1974Highest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | — |
| High school in town | Rivendell Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.