Compare towns
Bennington vs Cornish vs Hartland
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 kids (26% under 18).
Cornish has the highest household income ($92k).
Hartland has the most expensive homes ($349k 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 | Cornish | Hartland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,588Lowest |
1,816 |
3,460Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
55.8±5.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Hartland and Cornish 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% |
16.5%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Hartland 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%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartland 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Hartland 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±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$86,136±$23k 7% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Hartland 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. |
$348,600±$39kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Hartland and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
— |
| 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 91% above U.S. |
$5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$6,437Highest 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.1%±89.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Hartland 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 | — | — | #29 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Cornish School District | Hartland 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 |
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.