Compare towns
Alstead vs St. Albans 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).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | St. Albans | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Lowest |
6,954Highest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
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% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and St. Albans 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% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest 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% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest 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. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% 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. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% 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 | — | $1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Walpole and St. Albans 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. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and St. Albans 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% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest 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. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #46 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.