Compare towns
Stark vs Berlin vs Benton
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 people working from home (13.9%).
Berlin has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Benton has the most expensive homes ($288k 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 | Stark | Berlin | Benton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 419 |
9,383Highest |
386Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-6.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 58.8±3.6 36% above NH |
44.6±2.8Lowest 3% above NH |
62.1±1.9Highest 43% above NH |
| Benton and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±6.9 NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±2.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.7%±4.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Berlin and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
20.1%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
37.3%±12.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Benton and Stark 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% |
14.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
18.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.1 NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Stark and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,750±$23kHighest 28% below NH |
$45,180±$5kLowest 54% below NH |
$67,895±$4k 31% below NH |
| Stark and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $197,700±$34k 51% below NH |
$131,000±$15kLowest 67% below NH |
$288,300±$46kHighest 28% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $815±$141 45% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,636Lowest 60% below NH |
$3,437Highest 48% below NH |
$2,922 56% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100 NH: 48.2% |
43.7%±12Lowest NH: 48.2% |
100%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Benton and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.3% NH: 7.2% |
15.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 11 yrs older than NH |
1938Lowest 41 yrs older than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above NH |
19 minLowest 30% below NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.9%±6.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
3.5%±2.1 NH: 16.8% |
2.6%±3.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #108 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Stark School District | Berlin School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Berlin Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2 |
— |
| 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.