Compare towns
Walpole vs Orange 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 highest household income ($83k).
Orange has the most homeowners (70%).
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
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 | Orange | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,690 |
7,573Highest |
2,891Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Lowest 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% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest 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% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest 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 |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% 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. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walpole and Bellows Falls 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — |
| 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.