Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Walpole vs Newport vs Brighton
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 youngest population (median age 41.3).
Walpole has the most expensive homes ($320k median).
Newport has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Walpole | Newport | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
3,690 |
4,394Highest |
1,167Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
46.4±4.3 19% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Newport 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% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
13.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 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%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brighton 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% |
32.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton 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. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$54,646±$12k 32% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$179,400±$11k 46% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$850±$49 40% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Bellows Falls 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. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,036 29% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.2%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton 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% |
11.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
23% U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newport and Brighton 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 | — | #27 of 120 in NH | #63 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Newport City School District · North Country Union High School District | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | North Country Union High School | None in town |
| 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.