The Hanover population surged at an unexpectedly high rate during the 1990s while the Upper Valley as a whole saw more modest growth, according to preliminary data released by the 2000 Census Bureau.
Hanover now has a record 10,850 residents, up a booming 19 percent since the beginning of the last decade. That rate is almost twice what local officials had anticipated, reflecting the town's growing desirability as a haven from urban chaos with many benefits of city life, like culture and an upscale commercial district.
"The growth is a combination of the College, the medical center, the quality of the schools, and the quality of life in the Upper Valley, not just Hanover," said Hanover Town Manager Julia Griffin. "The people who move to Hanover can afford to live anywhere in the world, but they choose Hanover."
The surge in Hanover's population has already begun to strain town resources. The school district is so overcrowded that school officials are considering a complete overhaul of the junior and high school facilities. Residents complain of debilitating traffic. And Hanover officials have already had to grapple with the contentious issue of sprawl, trying to limit development while struggling to keep housing affordable for longtime residents.
The average home in Hanover now costs about $365,000.
"There's going to be a push and a pull that's going to occur, and it's already occurring. It's between those who are escaping the big city and those who are already here," Griffin added. "It can result in a change in the political demographics in the entire community. You already see that at the town meetings."
It is unclear how many Dartmouth students were counted in the Hanover census. While a 2000 census form was delivered to every student's doorstep last year, students have the option of listing Hanover and their hometown as their place of residence.
But what is clear is the College's impact on local life.
"Dartmouth is a strong attracter for many things, not just the student population. The support services and all of the cultural amenities make Hanover a strong draw for people who might have no other particular interest in living in a college town," said Ben Frost, executive director of the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission.
The Upper Valley increased by how much 8.3 percent, a rate similar to what demographers had predicted. But there were some surprises in the data: while larger towns in the area stayed more or less on target with anticipated growth, some smaller towns expanded enormously. Grantham, for instance, grew by 74 percent over the last 10 years, to 2,167.
"We knew there was a lot of construction (in some small towns), but not that much," Frost said. "We're still trying to figure that out, and that may be attributable to the conversion of seasonal residencies to year-round residencies."
New Hampshire's population grew 11.4 percent since the last census, to 1,235,786, making it the fastest growing state north of Delaware.
The release of the census data has already set off a scramble among state lawmakers over redistricting plans. As the population grows and shifts, adjustments will be made to every election district.
State senators will have about 51,000 constituents in each of their districts. House members will represent 3,100 citizens.
