Compare towns
Plymouth vs Holderness vs Bridgewater 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
Plymouth has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Holderness has the most homeowners (83.7%).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% 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 | Plymouth | Holderness | Bridgewater | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,969 |
1,917 |
1,169Lowest |
11,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Holderness and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bridgewater and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63.7% NH: 40.6% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,500±$32k 10% below NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$82,361±$9kLowest 17% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Hanover and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,400±$28kLowest 27% below NH |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$398,600±$65k about the NH average |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,296±$295 13% below NH |
$2,068±$385 39% above NH |
$1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Hanover and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 about the NH average |
$3,923 41% below NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
11.9% NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
79.7% NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 39% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 120 in NH | — | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Holderness School District | Newfound Area School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | — | None 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 | 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.