Compare towns
Alstead vs Barton vs Gorham vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the most homeowners (76%).
Barton has the most people working from home (16.5%).
Gorham has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
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 | Alstead | Barton | Gorham | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,551 |
730Lowest |
2,682 |
3,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
40±5.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.9±3.6 39% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
| Alstead and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.1%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Barton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gorham and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11k 20% below U.S. |
$40,833±$8kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$61,275±$7k 24% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Walpole and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37k 18% below U.S. |
$146,900±$30kLowest 56% below U.S. |
$161,600±$49k 51% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $761±$150Lowest 46% below U.S. |
$838±$83 41% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 71% above U.S. |
$3,185Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,334 39% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.8%±18.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.5%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barton and Alstead 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 | — | #38 of 70 in VT | #57 of 120 in NH | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | — | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.