Compare towns
Alstead vs Orange 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 people working from home (12.1%).
Orange has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Walpole has the highest household income ($83k).
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 | Orange | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Lowest |
7,573Highest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Lowest 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% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%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% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walpole and Alstead 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. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% 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. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% 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 | — | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 71% above U.S. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Alstead and Walpole 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.