Compare towns
Strafford vs Lyme vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the most affordable homes ($431k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Strafford | Lyme | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372Lowest |
1,710 |
8,479Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Strafford and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,833±$19kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149Lowest 129% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Hanover 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 |
| School district | Strafford School District | Lyme School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.