Compare towns
Bennington vs Bristol vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,588Lowest |
3,273 |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.2% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8 about the NH average |
42.7±5.7Highest about the NH average |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Bristol and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2 NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bennington 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% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.5% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Windham 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 |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$15k 34% below NH |
$258,300±$63kLowest 36% below NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,310±$97 12% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,944 11% below NH |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4% NH: 7.2% |
10.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3% NH: 72.8% |
69.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above NH |
28 minLowest 4% above NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Windham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #79 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Newfound Area School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Newfound Regional High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.