Norwich is an active community thanks to the university nearby
There are many reasons to move to Norwich, Vermont, a small New England town along the Connecticut River. According to Jane Darrach, Realtor at Martha E. Diebold Real Estate of Hanover and a resident for 30 years, "The schools are exceptional, the landscape is beautiful and we are surprisingly busy here." Norwich's surprising bustle comes from just across the river in Hanover – a New Hampshire city with shopping, restaurants and an Ivy League university. "People move here because we have Dartmouth College, the largest employer in the area, alongside Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center," Darrach says. Norwich blends the convenience of living near a city with the calming atmosphere of a rural, wooded town.
Houses date back to the 1800s, and prices are double the national median
Colonial homes from the 1800s, Victorians, cottages and bungalows are in the earliest established parts of Norwich. More modern styles include farmhouses, modern Craftsman and new traditional homes. Norwich Mid-Century Modern Historic District has a collection of homes from the 1940s to 1970s with distinct elements on display, including low-pitched roofs, walls of windows and slanted-roof carports. Houses sell between $420,000 and $2.5 million, and according to Darrach, "People experience sticker shock at the home prices here. They expect the area to be the boonies because it's so rural and wooded. It is the boonies – but the sophisticated boonies." Norwich's median single-family home price is $900,000, more than twice the national median. Whether cleared or wooded, lots sell between $220,000 and $780,000 and are anywhere from 5 to 150 acres.
Ivy League Dartmouth College brings education and entertainment
Dartmouth College is a private Ivy League university with about 6,700 students and a few thousand employees. "Those living in Norwich likely work at either the college or the associated hospital," Darrach says. The university was founded in 1769 in Hanover and contributed to the area's expansion. "With impressive colleges come entertainment for the community like theater, arts, music, dance and sporting events," Darrach says, adding that retirees like living near the school because of the activities.
The elementary, middle and high school each earn high grades
Dresden School District is an interstate district that John F. Kennedy commissioned during his presidency. The district presides over Norwich and Hanover, across the Connecticut River in New Hampshire. Norwich students begin learning at Marion Cross School, rated A by Niche. It teaches kindergarten through sixth grade. The middle and high school connect students of the two communities, beginning at Francis C. Richmond Middle School, rated A-plus. Hanover High School is rated A-plus.
Restaurants in Hanover and retail in Lebanon
Jasper Murdock's Alehouse is connected to The Norwich Inn and across the street from Dan & Whit's General Store. Locals can buy produce at The Norwich Farmers Market and fresh pastries, baking supplies and flour at King Arthur Baking Company. King Arthur is a household name in flour and baking, headquartered in Norwich. The location has a store and a baking school on-site. Fine dining, casual restaurants, bars and cafés are across the river in Hanover. "There are some excellent restaurants around," Darrach says. "We're blessed in that way." Department stores, home improvement centers, grocery stores and fast-food chains are farther south in Lebanon.
Day hikers and thru-hikers trek The Appalachian Trail
Hiking is a popular pastime, often in town forests and conservation areas. Mountains with over 2,000 feet of elevation gain are a short drive from the town. The Appalachian Trail is an almost 2,200-mile-long hiking trail that passes through Norwich's southern end. It's common for thru-hikers to stock up in Norwich or Hanover before continuing their trek. Dresden Athletic Fields has soccer and baseball fields, and Huntley Meadow Athletic Fields has tennis courts, lacrosse fields and a playground.
Norwich is rural but not removed
Interstate 91 passes through the town, and the Ledyard Bridge connects Norwich to Hanover. Dartmouth College is less than 2 miles away, and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center is less than 5 miles away. Advance Transit offers free bus rides between Norwich, Hanover and the surrounding towns, and the Dartmouth Coach bus has daily trips from campus to Boston and New York. Lebanon Municipal Airport is 8 miles south.
Written By
Heather Haggerty
