Compare towns
White River Junction vs Hanover vs Exeter vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
White River Junction has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
St. Albans has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | White River Junction | Hanover | Exeter | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,364Lowest |
11,685 |
16,151Highest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±3.2 13% below U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,168±$4k 4% below U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,800±$78k 16% below U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,222±$216 14% below U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,651 81% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
49% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | — | Hanover High School | Exeter High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.