Compare towns
Dover vs Walpole vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Dover | Walpole | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466Lowest |
3,690Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Lowest 20% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55kHighest about the U.S. average |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Dover and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Dover 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 | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.