Compare towns
Hancock vs Meredith vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most homeowners (85.6%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
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 | Meredith | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,791 |
6,758Highest |
1,588Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53.8±4.5 24% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
42.1±7.8Lowest about the NH average |
| Meredith and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±2.2 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Hancock and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,208±$15kHighest 4% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$83,875±$7kLowest 15% below NH |
| Hancock and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$22k 8% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$267,300±$15kLowest 34% below NH |
| Meredith and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$650 19% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,292±$150Highest 13% below NH |
| Bennington and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Highest 3% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$5,944 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.4%±55.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
74.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.