Compare towns
Bennington vs Marlborough vs Bridgewater
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 people working from home (14.7%).
Marlborough has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Bridgewater has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
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 | Marlborough | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,588 |
2,207Highest |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+1.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Lowest about the NH average |
46±9.2 6% above NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
| Bridgewater and Marlborough 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% |
23.5%±5.7 NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Marlborough 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% |
23.7%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.6% NH: 40.6% |
39.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
1.5%±1.7 NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bennington and Marlborough 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 15% below NH |
$69,032±$9kLowest 30% below NH |
$82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
| Bennington and Bridgewater 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 |
$267,200±$35kLowest 34% below NH |
$398,600±$65kHighest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150Highest 13% below NH |
$1,133±$323 24% below NH |
$1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH |
| Bennington and Marlborough 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 |
$6,362Highest 5% below NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±25.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Marlborough and Bennington 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% |
13.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3% NH: 72.8% |
68.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above NH |
21 minLowest 21% below NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.3%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bennington and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Marlborough School District | Newfound Area 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 |
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.