Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Brookfield vs Castleton 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
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
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 | Bellows Falls | Brookfield | Castleton | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
1,486Lowest |
4,453Highest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
47±5.9Highest 21% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school 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.