Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Williston vs Cornish 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).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
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 | Williston | Cornish | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
10,144Highest |
1,816Lowest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
| Cornish 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Walpole 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% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 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. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Cornish 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Cornish 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 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.