What stands out worked out from the figures below

Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k median).

Hanover has the most expensive homes ($755k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Thompson	Hanover
People
Population	9,337Lowest	14,845Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6.9% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S.	41.8±1.4Lowest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	56.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Hanover and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S.	$189,803±$23kHighest 135% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S.	$755,400±$39kHighest 127% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S.	$1,845±$341Highest 31% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S.	$9,342Highest 200% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54%±18.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	65%±23.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hanover and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 20% above U.S.	32 minHighest 21% above U.S.
Work from home	13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hanover and Thompson 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	#130 of 149 in CT	#69 of 282 in MA
School district	Thompson School District	Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Tourtellotte Memorial High School	South Shore Vocational Technical High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.9Lowest	10.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.