Compare towns
Cornish vs Bennington vs Lyndeborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
Lyndeborough has the most expensive homes ($391k 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 | Cornish | Bennington | Lyndeborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
1,588Lowest |
1,616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
42.1±7.8Lowest about the NH average |
50±3.2 15% above NH |
| Cornish and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.9%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Lyndeborough 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 7% below NH |
$83,875±$7kLowest 15% below NH |
$116,964±$17kHighest 18% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 26% below NH |
$267,300±$15kLowest 34% below NH |
$390,900±$26kHighest about the NH average |
| Lyndeborough 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 18% below NH |
$1,292±$150 13% below NH |
$1,482±$457Highest about the NH average |
| Lyndeborough and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$5,944 11% below NH |
$7,133Highest 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±90Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyndeborough and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below NH |
37 min 38% above NH |
39 minHighest 46% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyndeborough 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 | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative 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.