Compare towns
Cornish vs Bennington vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Bennington has the most renters (25.7% rent).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Cornish | Bennington | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
1,588Lowest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
42.1±7.8 8% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$83,875±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Calais and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$267,300±$15kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Calais and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,292±$150 9% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$5,944 91% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Calais and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Cornish School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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.