Compare towns
Gorham vs Walden vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Gorham | Walden | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,682Highest |
1,037Lowest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.9±3.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Lowest 25% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2 30% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gorham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,275±$7kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
| Walden and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42kHighest 27% below U.S. |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,334Highest 39% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±20.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Wells 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 | #57 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.