Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Plainfield vs Wilder vs Newport
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).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Newport has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | Plainfield | Wilder | Newport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
2,522Lowest |
3,087 |
4,394Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
46.4±4.3Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Newport and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.2%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Bellows Falls 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% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder and Newport 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% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9k 7% below U.S. |
$54,646±$12kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$179,400±$11kLowest 46% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
$850±$49Lowest 40% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Wilder 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. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
$4,036Lowest 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.2%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newport and Bellows Falls 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
23% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 17% below U.S. |
17 min 37% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±8.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Newport 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | — | #63 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Plainfield School District | — | Newport City School District · North Country Union High School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | North Country Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.