Compare towns
Bennington vs Cornish vs Hancock
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,588Lowest |
1,816Highest |
1,791 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Lowest about the NH average |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
53.8±4.5 24% above NH |
| Cornish and Hancock 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% |
15.4%±2.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
30.2%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Hancock and Cornish 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% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
53.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Hancock 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 |
$95,208±$15kHighest 4% below NH |
| Hancock 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±$22kHighest 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150Highest 13% below NH |
$1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,208±$650Lowest 19% below NH |
| Bennington and Cornish 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 |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$6,884Highest 3% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.4%±55.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Bennington 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
85.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
33 min 24% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±3.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hancock and Bennington 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 | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.