Compare towns
Strafford vs Hanover vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the most affordable homes ($428k median).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
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.
| Measure | Strafford | Hanover | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,306Lowest |
11,685Highest |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
| Chester and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Chester and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hanover and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,105±$22kLowest 23% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$142,212±$19k 44% above NH |
| Hanover and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,900±$29kLowest 6% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$552,300±$42k 37% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,635±$246Lowest 10% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,086Lowest 9% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,464 27% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
35 min 31% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Chester 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 | #73 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Strafford School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Chester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.