Compare towns
Walpole vs Highgate vs Bellows Falls
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 expensive homes ($320k median).
Highgate has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k 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 | Highgate | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,690Highest |
3,528 |
2,891Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
44±7.4 13% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls 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±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$81,017±$14k about the U.S. average |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$280,500±$21k 16% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$895±$691Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$3,558Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.5%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Highgate and Walpole 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.