Compare towns
Bennington vs Durham vs Hanover
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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,588Lowest |
15,080Highest |
11,685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Highest about the NH average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Hanover and Bennington 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% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,875±$7kLowest 15% below NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Hanover and Durham 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 |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,944Lowest 11% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.