Compare towns
Bennington vs Cornish vs Dover
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).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Bennington | Cornish | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,588Lowest |
1,816 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8 about the NH average |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
| Cornish and Bennington 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% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,875±$7kLowest 15% below NH |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$94,829±$7kHighest 4% below NH |
| Dover and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$15kLowest 34% below NH |
$296,000±$69k 26% below NH |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150 13% below NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,944 11% below NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Cornish 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% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3% NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover 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 | — | — | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Cornish School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
| 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.