Compare towns

Dummer vs Columbia vs Benton

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dummer has the highest household income ($91k).
Columbia has the most people working from home (11.2%).
Benton has the most expensive homes ($288k 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.

MeasureDummerColumbiaBenton
People
Population
299Lowest
683Highest
386
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
-12.9%
NH: +4.6%
—
Median age
53.6±6.4
24% above NH
51.8±10.1Lowest
20% above NH
62.1±1.9Highest
43% above NH
Kids under 18
19.4%±5.1Highest
NH: 18.2%
17.4%±5.2
NH: 18.2%
6.7%±4.2Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Dummer and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.4%±4.6Lowest
NH: 20.1%
29.9%±8.3
NH: 20.1%
37.3%±12.5Highest
NH: 20.1%
Benton and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
16.9%
NH: 40.6%
14.5%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
18.2%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0%±5.7Lowest
NH: 6%
7%±3.7Highest
NH: 6%
1.8%±1.4
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$91,250±$21kHighest
8% below NH
$57,917±$13kLowest
42% below NH
$67,895±$4k
31% below NH
Dummer and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$242,200±$51k
40% below NH
$196,400±$29kLowest
51% below NH
$288,300±$46kHighest
28% below NH
Benton and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$792±$333
47% below NH
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,898
57% below NH
$2,009Lowest
70% below NH
$2,922Highest
56% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
NH: 48.2%
9.1%±95.8
NH: 48.2%
100%±100Highest
NH: 48.2%
Benton and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
9%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
10.7%
NH: 7.2%
15.9%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.2%Highest
NH: 72.8%
91.1%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
92.1%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Lowest
2 yrs older than NH
1983Highest
4 yrs newer than NH
1980
1 yr newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
6% below NH
20 minLowest
24% below NH
32 minHighest
20% above NH
Work from home
6.8%±4.4
NH: 16.8%
11.2%±6.7Highest
NH: 16.8%
2.6%±3.4Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Columbia and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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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.