Compare towns
Calais vs Middlesex vs Walpole vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Calais | Middlesex | Walpole | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
1,943 |
3,690Highest |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Dummerston 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 | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None 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.