Compare towns
Troy vs Lancaster 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
Troy has the highest household income ($89k).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).
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 | Troy | Lancaster | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,005 |
3,216Highest |
1,588Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% NH: +4.6% |
-8.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±5Lowest 7% below NH |
45.5±6.9Highest 5% above NH |
42.1±7.8 about the NH average |
| Lancaster and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±6.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.6%±3.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28.4%±5.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
30.1% NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±2.2 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Troy and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,871±$14kHighest 10% below NH |
$68,911±$23kLowest 30% below NH |
$83,875±$7k 15% below NH |
| Troy and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $266,600±$39k 34% below NH |
$215,700±$24kLowest 46% below NH |
$267,300±$15kHighest 34% below NH |
| Bennington and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,024±$331 31% below NH |
$1,019±$263Lowest 32% below NH |
$1,292±$150Highest 13% below NH |
| Bennington and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,229 22% below NH |
$4,226Lowest 37% below NH |
$5,944Highest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.1%±27.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±17Lowest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Troy 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% |
16.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.1% NH: 72.8% |
74.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 8 yrs older than NH |
1942Lowest 37 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
23 minLowest 14% below NH |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
| Work from home | 10.1%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
11.5%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bennington and Lancaster 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 | — | #107 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Monadnock Regional School District | White Mountains Regional School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.