Compare towns
Walpole vs Rochester vs Westminster
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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
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 | Rochester | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,690Highest |
1,389 |
497Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6Highest 37% above U.S. |
43.3±11.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Walpole 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% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Walpole 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% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester 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% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walpole and Westminster 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 |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$81,000±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Walpole and Westminster 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. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$313,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Westminster 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. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Rochester 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. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,480 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Walpole 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% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Westminster 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.