The population was 10,850 at the 2000 census. In 2007, CNN and Money magazine rated Hanover the second best place to live in America.

Dartmouth College and the US Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) are located in town. Hanover is one of only a handful of communities where the Appalachian Trail passes through the town center.

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History

Hanover was chartered by Governor Benning Wentworth on July 4, 1761, and in 1765-1766 its first inhabitants arrived, the majority from Connecticut. Although the surface is uneven, the town developed into an agricultural community. Dartmouth College was established in 1769 beside the Common at a village called the Plain -- an extensive and level tract of land a mile (1.61 kilometers) from the Connecticut River, and about 150 feet (45.72 meters) above it.

At one point in its history, the southwest corner of Hanover was known as Dresden, which in the 1780s joined other disgruntled New Hampshire towns along the Connecticut River that briefly defected to what was then the independent Republic of Vermont. For a time, Dresden was capital of the republic. After various political posturings, however, the towns returned to New Hampshire at the heated insistence of George Washington. One remnant of this era is that the name Dresden is still used in the Dresden School District, an interstate school district serving both Hanover and Norwich, Vermont -- the first and one of the few inter-state school districts in the nation.

Etymology

"Hannover" (as it was spelled in the charter) was named either after a local parish in Sprague, Connecticut, or after the House of Hanover in honor of the reigning British king, George III.

While it is possible that the name "Dresden" derived from Dresden in Germany, it is more likely derived directly from the old Sorbian word drezg ("forest") or Drezd'ane, for an inhabitant of a forest.

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 50.2 square miles (130 km2), of which 49.1 sq mi (127 km2) is land and 1.1 sq mi (2.8 km2) is water, comprising 2.23% of the town. The primary settlement in Hanover, where over 75% of the town's population resides, is defined as the Hanover census-designated place (CDP) and contains the areas around Dartmouth College and the intersections of New Hampshire Routes 10, 10A, and 120. The CDP has a total area of 5.0 sq mi (13 km2), of which 4.6 sq mi (12 km2) is land and 0.4 sq mi (1.0 km2) is water.

Hanover borders the towns of Lyme, Canaan, and Enfield, New Hampshire; Norwich, Vermont; and the city of Lebanon, New Hampshire. Inside the limits of Hanover are the small rural villages of Etna and Hanover Center.

The highest point in Hanover is the north peak of Moose Mountain, at 2,313 feet (705 m) above sea level. Hanover lies fully within the Connecticut River watershed.

There are a great many trails and nature preserves in Hanover, and the majority of these trails are suitable for snowshoes and cross-country skis.

Climate

Hanover experiences a warm summer continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb).

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 10,850 people, 2,832 households, and 1,761 families residing in the town. The population density was 85.3 people per km2 (221.0/sq mi). There were 2,989 housing units at an average density of 23.5/km2 (60.9/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 87.98% White, 1.74% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 6.76% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 2.09% from two or more races. 2.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,832 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the town the population was spread out with 15.1% under the age of 18, 37.6% from 18 to 24, 16.6% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $72,470, and the median income for a family was $99,158. Males had a median income of $63,409 versus $35,771 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,393. About 0.6% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

Town center

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,162 people, 1,829 households, and 967 families residing in the town's central settlement, or census-designated place (CDP). The population density was 1,792.2 people per square mile (692.6/km2). There were 1,891 housing units at an average density of 415.2/sq mi (160.5/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 85.27% White, 2.25% Black or African American, 0.61% Native American, 8.18% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.13% from other races, and 2.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.17% of the population.

There were 1,829 households out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.1% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 11.1% under the age of 18, 49.0% from 18 to 24, 14.5% from 25 to 44, 12.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $62,143, and the median income for a family was $90,548. Males had a median income of $56,667 versus $35,682 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,426. About 1.0% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

There are 3 public schools, 1 private school, 1 college, and 2 libraries in Hanover, including:

• Dartmouth College
• Hanover High School
• Frances C. Richmond Middle School
• Bernice A. Ray Elementary School

Infrastructure

Water

The Hanover Water Company supplies water for downtown Hanover from several local reservoirs. The company is owned by Dartmouth College (52.8%) and the Town of Hanover (47.2%), with management by the Town of Hanover under a contract. In 2000, all full-time company employees became town employees. In recent years, the town has spent over $20 million to upgrade main water lines, and will undergo another $6 million project to build a new water treatment plant. Outside the downtown area, residents rely on private wells that are not maintained by the town.

Other utilities

Fairpoint furnishes telephone communication. The municipality provides sewage treatment.

Notable inhabitants

• Al Barr, musician
• Hal Barwood, game developer
• Barbara Bedford, swimmer
• George Bissell, industrialist
• Philip Booth, poet
• C. Loring Brace, anthropologist
• Gerald Warner Brace, writer, educator, sailor and boat builder
• Francis Brown, semitic scholar
• Bill Bryson, author
• Kent Carter, jazz musician
• Ken Chastain, musician, engineer and producer
• James Freeman Clarke, preacher and author
• Charlie Clouser, music producer and keyboardist
• Jay DeFeo, artist
• Tom Dey, film director
• Henry Fowle Durant, lawyer and philanthropist
• Richard Eberhart, poet
• Janet Evanovich, writer
• Brad Feldman, television and radio announcer
• Jonathan Freeman, congressman
• Joan Halifax, activist and author
• Virginia Heffernan, critic and columnist
• Thomas C. Kinkaid, admiral
• C. Everett Koop, surgeon general
• Paul D. Paganucci, investment banker, university educator, college financial administrator and businessman
• James W. Patterson, congressman and senator
• Jodi Picoult, author
• James W. Ripley, congressman
• Kate Sanborn, writer
• John Spaulding, poet
• Jon Spencer, musician
• Armstrong Sperry, author
• Olin Stephens, yacht designer
• Daniel Webster, statesman
• Eleazar Wheelock, college founder
• Leonard Wilcox, senator
• Rob Woodward, baseball pitcher

External links

• Town of Hanover NH Website
• The Howe Library (Hanover NH)
• New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile