Compare towns
Reading vs Walpole vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Reading | Walpole | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699 |
3,690Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Reading and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walpole and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Windham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
| Reading and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
— |
| Walpole and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754Lowest 84% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Windham 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.