Compare towns
Orford vs Hanover vs Stratham
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 most affordable homes ($272k median).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Stratham has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
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 | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,295Lowest |
8,479Highest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.9±3.3Highest 13% above NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
| Orford and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Orford and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
69.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1 NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,571±$24kLowest 7% below NH |
$153,281±$26kHighest 55% above NH |
$151,998±$20k 53% 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 | $271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$655,400±$36k 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,263±$686Lowest 15% below NH |
$2,254±$249 51% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% 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 | $5,836Lowest 12% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,781 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2 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 | 5.8% NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.5% NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Rivendell Academy | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
— | — |
| 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.