Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Middlebury 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).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Walpole has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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 | Middlebury | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
9,175Highest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% 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% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest 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%±2.6Lowest 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% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$86,169±$16kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Middlebury 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. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Middlebury 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. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Middlebury 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% |
10.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #17 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.