Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Hartford vs Walpole vs Westminster
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).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Walpole has the highest household income ($83k).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Hartford | Walpole | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
10,736Highest |
3,690 |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster 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%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 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% |
22.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% |
47.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Hartford 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. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Hartford 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. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Hartford 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. |
$1,218±$118Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Hartford 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. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Westminster 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% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #34 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Hartford School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Hartford High School | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6Lowest |
— | 10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.