Compare towns
Hancock vs Calais vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($267k 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 | Hancock | Calais | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,791Highest |
1,713 |
1,588Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
42.1±7.8 8% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest 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+ | 30.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,208±$15k 18% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$83,875±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Calais and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$22kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$267,300±$15kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Hancock and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$650Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,292±$150 9% below U.S. |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Highest 121% above U.S. |
$6,586 111% above U.S. |
$5,944Lowest 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.4%±55.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Contoocook Valley 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 |
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.