Compare towns
Plymouth vs Bennington vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plymouth has the most renters (43.7% rent).
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plymouth | Bennington | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,601 |
1,588Lowest |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4 43% below NH |
42.1±7.8Highest about the NH average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bennington and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54% NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$83,875±$7k 15% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22k 27% below NH |
$267,300±$15kLowest 34% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,292±$150 13% below NH |
$1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
| Durham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288 6% below NH |
$5,944Lowest 11% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 31% below NH |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 120 in NH | — | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.