Compare towns
Walpole vs Dover vs Wilton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Wilton has the highest household income ($114k).
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 | Dover | Wilton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,690 |
1,466Lowest |
3,960Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4Lowest 20% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
46.8±5.2 20% above U.S. |
| Dover and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilton 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 about the U.S. average |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$114,349±$21kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Wilton 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±$48kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$381,500±$23kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Wilton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,382±$70Highest about the U.S. average |
| Wilton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,078 95% above U.S. |
$4,510Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,612Highest 144% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.1%±39.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Wilton 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 | — | #54 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wilton-Lyndeboro Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.