Compare towns
Stark vs Bennington vs Dummer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stark has the most affordable homes ($198k median).
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
Dummer has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Stark | Bennington | Dummer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 419 |
1,588Highest |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 58.8±3.6Highest 36% above NH |
42.1±7.8Lowest about the NH average |
53.6±6.4 24% above NH |
| Stark and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±6.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.4%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Stark and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.5% NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
16.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3 NH: 6% |
0%±5.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Stark and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,750±$23kLowest 28% below NH |
$83,875±$7k 15% below NH |
$91,250±$21kHighest 8% below NH |
| Dummer and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $197,700±$34kLowest 51% below NH |
$267,300±$15kHighest 34% below NH |
$242,200±$51k 40% below NH |
| Bennington and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,292±$150 13% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,636Lowest 60% below NH |
$5,944Highest 11% below NH |
$2,898 57% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Stark and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5% NH: 72.8% |
74.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 11 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above NH |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
25 minLowest 6% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.9%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
6.8%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bennington and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Stark School District | Contoocook Valley School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.