Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Plainfield vs Williston 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).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Plainfield | Williston | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
2,522Lowest |
10,144Highest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 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% |
21%±3.5 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% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% 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% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Williston 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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Williston 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. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Williston and Plainfield 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. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
| Williston and Plainfield 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. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% 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% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Williston 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Plainfield 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Plainfield School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.