Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Gray 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).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Walpole has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
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 | Gray | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
8,429Highest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Gray 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% |
19%±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% |
19.3%±4Lowest 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% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Gray 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. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Gray and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
| Gray and Walpole 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. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gray and Walpole 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.