Compare towns
Bennington vs Dummerston vs Hancock vs Walpole
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).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
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 | Dummerston | Hancock | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,588Lowest |
2,090 |
1,791 |
3,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
53.8±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Walpole 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% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Walpole 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% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hancock and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,875±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$95,208±$15k 18% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Dummerston 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. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$436,700±$22kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150 9% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,208±$650 15% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Dummerston 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. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,884Highest 121% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.4%±55.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Dummerston 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% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Hancock 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 | — | — | — | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Contoocook Valley School District | Fall Mountain Regional 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 |
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.