Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Ripton vs Rockingham 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 renters (49.3% rent).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Rockingham has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Ripton | Rockingham | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
508Lowest |
4,807Highest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
46.4±2.6 19% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
| Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3 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%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Rockingham 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% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$70,857±$16k 12% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Ripton 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. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$210,900±$14k 37% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Ripton 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. |
— | $1,062±$101 25% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Rockingham 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. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,887 57% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton 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% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rockingham and Ripton 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 | — | — | #65 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rockingham School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.