Compare towns
Appleton vs Mount Holly vs Wallingford vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Mount Holly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Wallingford has the oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
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 | Appleton | Mount Holly | Wallingford | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,415 |
2,286Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
53.5±8.2Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8 18% above U.S. |
44.6±3.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Mount Holly and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±5 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hope and Mount Holly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Holly and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Appleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$78,015±$19k 3% below U.S. |
$80,230±$15k about the U.S. average |
$86,766±$6kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Hope and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$296,900±$40k 11% below U.S. |
$261,900±$44k 21% below U.S. |
$373,400±$33kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,534±$1kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$891±$95Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,219±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Mount Holly and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,926 26% above U.S. |
$4,355Highest 40% above U.S. |
$3,842 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.9%±65.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±38.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Mount Holly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hope and Mount Holly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Ludlow Mt. Holly Unified Union School District #83 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.