Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Durham 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 affordable homes ($196k median).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Walpole has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
15,080Highest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
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% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
| Durham and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham 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% |
15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer 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. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 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.