Compare towns
Wilder vs Bow vs Hanover vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Bow has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Wilder | Bow | Hanover | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,087Lowest |
8,335 |
8,479Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
| Wilder and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26k 90% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Bow School District | — | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.