Compare towns
Bennington vs Cornish vs Middlesex vs Hancock
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Middlesex | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,588Lowest |
1,816 |
1,943Highest |
1,791 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
53.8±4.5 38% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Hancock 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. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$95,208±$15k 18% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Hancock 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. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$436,700±$22kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Middlesex 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±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,208±$650Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Bennington 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. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$6,884Highest 121% 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% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.4%±55.6 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Hancock 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.