Compare towns
Bath vs Bennington vs Lempster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).
Lempster has the most homeowners (98.2%).
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 | Bath | Bennington | Lempster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097 |
1,588Highest |
953Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-3.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6 12% above NH |
42.1±7.8Lowest about the NH average |
50.8±7.2Highest 17% above NH |
| Lempster and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.8%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.4%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bath and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
28.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3 NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Lempster and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH |
$83,875±$7k 15% below NH |
$86,607±$12kHighest 13% below NH |
| Lempster and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH |
$267,300±$15kHighest 34% below NH |
$241,900±$29k 40% below NH |
| Bennington and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309Highest 4% below NH |
$1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
— |
| Bath and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413Lowest 34% below NH |
$5,944Highest 11% below NH |
$4,558 32% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6 NH: 48.2% |
100%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lempster and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% NH: 72.8% |
74.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
98.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 4% below NH |
37 min 38% above NH |
37 minHighest 40% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
5%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bennington and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Bath School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Lempster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.