Compare towns
Bennington vs Bristol vs Thornton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
Bristol has the most renters (30.3% rent).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
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 | Bennington | Bristol | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,588Lowest |
3,273Highest |
2,799 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.2% NH: +4.6% |
+8.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Lowest about the NH average |
42.7±5.7 about the NH average |
51.1±3.4Highest 18% above NH |
| Thornton and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
19%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bristol and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.5% NH: 40.6% |
46.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Thornton and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,875±$7k 15% below NH |
$78,438±$10kLowest 21% below NH |
$90,022±$17kHighest 9% below NH |
| Thornton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$15k 34% below NH |
$258,300±$63kLowest 36% below NH |
$351,900±$20kHighest 13% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150 13% below NH |
$1,310±$97Highest 12% below NH |
$1,270±$428Lowest 15% below NH |
| Bristol and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,944Highest 11% below NH |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
$5,032 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2 NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Thornton and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
9.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3% NH: 72.8% |
69.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #79 of 120 in NH | #18 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Newfound Area School District | Thornton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Newfound Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.