Compare towns
Plainfield vs Dover vs Hanover vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
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 | Plainfield | Dover | Hanover | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,522 |
33,364Highest |
11,685 |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
| Hanover and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 19% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
24 minHighest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Dover School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.