Compare towns
Bennington vs Fairlee vs Rumney
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
Rumney has the most expensive homes ($310k 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 | Fairlee | Rumney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,588Highest |
1,066Lowest |
1,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
44.5±2.3 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Rumney 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% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.1%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Rumney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,875±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$79,444±$21k about the U.S. average |
| Bennington and Rumney 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. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$309,800±$37kHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Rumney and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,064±$100Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,944Highest 91% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
$4,716Lowest 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.1%±21.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Rumney 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% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairlee and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | Rumney School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.