Compare towns
Bennington vs Cornish vs Dummerston vs Middlesex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most renters (25.7% rent).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Middlesex has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Cornish | Dummerston | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,588Lowest |
1,816 |
2,090Highest |
1,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Dummerston 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,875±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$15kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150 9% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,944 91% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dummerston and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Cornish School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.