Compare towns
Bennington vs Cornish vs Plainfield vs Francestown
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 renters (25.7% rent).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Francestown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
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 | Plainfield | Francestown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,588 |
1,816 |
2,522Highest |
1,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8 about the NH average |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
51.2±4.5 18% above 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% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
21.7%±2.6 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
52.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Plainfield 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 |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$104,063±$16k 5% above NH |
| Plainfield and Francestown 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 |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
$408,200±$34k about the NH average |
| Plainfield and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150 13% below NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,358±$256 9% below NH |
| Plainfield and Francestown 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 |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$8,014Highest 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.7%±77Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Francestown and Cornish 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% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 38% above NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
42 minHighest 57% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±7.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Francestown and Plainfield 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 | — | — | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Cornish School District | Plainfield School District | 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 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.