Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Castleton vs Fair Haven 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).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Fair Haven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
Walpole has the most expensive homes ($320k median).
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 | Castleton | Fair Haven | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
4,453Highest |
2,724Lowest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Bellows Falls 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%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 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% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$62,404±$16k 23% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Walpole and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Castleton 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. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% 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. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9 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% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walpole and Bellows Falls 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #66 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.