Compare towns
Stow vs Bennington vs Lovell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has the most expensive homes ($326k median).
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
Lovell has the most people working from home (21.8%).
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 | Stow | Bennington | Lovell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 535Lowest |
1,588Highest |
1,353 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57±10.5Highest 47% above U.S. |
42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
52.2±3.5 34% above U.S. |
| Stow and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.9%±17.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stow and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lovell and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $42,204±$22kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$83,875±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$80,625±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Bennington and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$42kHighest about the U.S. average |
$267,300±$15kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$295,000±$47k 11% below U.S. |
| Stow and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,292±$150Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,419±$178Highest about the U.S. average |
| Lovell and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,304 6% above U.S. |
$5,944Highest 91% above U.S. |
$1,480Lowest 53% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.3%±29.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lovell and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 18 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 51 minHighest 95% above U.S. |
37 min 40% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±12 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lovell and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Contoocook Valley School District | RSU 72/MSAD 72 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.