Compare towns
Bennington vs Dover vs Troy vs Bristol
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).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Troy has the most homeowners (77.2%).
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($258k 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 | Dover | Troy | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,588Lowest |
33,364Highest |
2,005 |
3,273 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8 about the NH average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
40.2±5 7% below NH |
42.7±5.7Highest about the NH average |
| Bristol and Bennington 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% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.2%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Bristol 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% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
14.6%±3.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bristol and Dover 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% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
26.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.1%±2.4 NH: 6% |
3.6%±2 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,875±$7k 15% below NH |
$94,829±$7kHighest 4% below NH |
$88,871±$14k 10% below NH |
$78,438±$10kLowest 21% below NH |
| Dover and Troy 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 |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$266,600±$39k 34% below NH |
$258,300±$63kLowest 36% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150 13% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,024±$331Lowest 31% below NH |
$1,310±$97 12% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,944 11% below NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$5,229 22% below NH |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.1%±27.1 NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Bristol 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% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
4.1% NH: 7.2% |
10.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
77.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.1%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Bennington 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | — | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Dover School District | Monadnock Regional School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| 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.


