Compare towns
Bennington vs Cornish vs Francestown vs Troy
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).
Francestown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
Troy has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
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 | Francestown | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,588 |
1,816 |
1,398Lowest |
2,005Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8 about the NH average |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
51.2±4.5 18% above NH |
40.2±5Lowest 7% below NH |
| Cornish and Francestown 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% |
19.8%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
21.2%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.7%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
14.6%±3.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.6% NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
52.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
26.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.1 NH: 6% |
4.1%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Troy 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 15% below NH |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$104,063±$16kHighest 5% above NH |
$88,871±$14k 10% below NH |
| Francestown 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±$15k 34% below NH |
$296,000±$69k 26% below NH |
$408,200±$34kHighest about the NH average |
$266,600±$39kLowest 34% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150 13% below NH |
$1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,358±$256Highest 9% below NH |
$1,024±$331Lowest 31% below NH |
| Francestown and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,944 11% below NH |
$5,796 13% below NH |
$8,014Highest 20% above NH |
$5,229Lowest 22% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
66.7%±77Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.1%±27.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Francestown and Troy 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% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
77.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 38% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
42 minHighest 57% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±7.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.1%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Cornish School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Monadnock Regional School District |
| 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 |
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.