Compare towns
Bristol vs Cornish vs Putney 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
Bristol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
Putney has the most people working from home (16.9%).
Walpole has the most expensive homes ($320k 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 | Bristol | Cornish | Putney | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,273 |
1,816Lowest |
2,622 |
3,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±5.7 10% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below 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 | 24.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bristol and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest 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+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$10kLowest about the U.S. average |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Cornish and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$63kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,310±$97Highest 7% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
| Bristol and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,162Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney 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 | #79 of 120 in NH | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | Cornish School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | Newfound Regional High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
— | — | — |
| 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.