Compare towns
Bennington vs Walden vs Hancock
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).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Walden | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,588 |
1,037Lowest |
1,791Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
53.8±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Walden 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% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,875±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
$95,208±$15kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$15k 20% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$436,700±$22kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150Highest 9% below U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,208±$650 15% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Hancock 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. |
$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$6,884Highest 121% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.4%±55.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Bennington 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% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.