Compare towns
Effingham vs Bennington vs Parsonsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Bennington has the most renters (25.7% rent).
Parsonsfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
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 | Effingham | Bennington | Parsonsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,912Highest |
1,588Lowest |
1,715 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.9±12.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Effingham and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
25%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Effingham and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,607±$14k 5% below U.S. |
$83,875±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$72,045±$18kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,700±$30kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$267,300±$15kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$272,100±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Effingham and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,090±$121Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,292±$150Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,185±$312 16% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 66% above U.S. |
$5,944Highest 91% above U.S. |
$2,350Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.2%±35Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Parsonsfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 19% above U.S. |
37 min 40% above U.S. |
48 minHighest 83% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Effingham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Contoocook Valley School District | — |
| High school 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.