Compare towns
Alstead vs Gray vs Windham 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 oldest population (median age 56).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Gray | Windham | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,551Lowest |
8,429 |
19,188Highest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
| Alstead and Walpole 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% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Alstead and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray 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±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 71% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Gray 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Gray 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.