Compare towns
Walpole vs Bethlehem vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k 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 | Walpole | Bethlehem | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,690Highest |
2,537Lowest |
2,682 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-5.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4Lowest 7% above NH |
50.6±8.5 17% above NH |
53.9±3.6Highest 24% above NH |
| Gorham and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
12.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Walpole and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±5.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28.2%±5.5 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Gorham and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.9% NH: 40.6% |
45.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
20.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8 NH: 6% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.7%±2.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Gorham and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,617±$16k 17% below NH |
$85,029±$18kHighest 14% below NH |
$61,275±$7kLowest 38% below NH |
| Bethlehem and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $319,800±$48kHighest 21% below NH |
$288,300±$22k 28% below NH |
$161,600±$49kLowest 60% below NH |
| Walpole and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$150 22% below NH |
$1,174±$81Highest 21% below NH |
$838±$83Lowest 44% below NH |
| Bethlehem and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,078Highest 9% below NH |
$5,418 19% below NH |
$4,334Lowest 35% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±21.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.3%±18.3 NH: 48.2% |
41%±20.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Walpole and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
4.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
71.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 12 yrs older than NH |
1973Highest 6 yrs older than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 13% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
31.2%±12.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #27 of 120 in NH | #34 of 120 in NH | #57 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Profile Senior High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
9.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.