Compare towns
Walpole vs Topsham 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 most renters (30.1% rent).
Topsham has the most expensive homes ($361k median).
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Topsham | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,690 |
9,706Highest |
497Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
43.3±11.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Topsham 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% |
19.9%±3.6Lowest 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%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole and Topsham 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% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Topsham 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 |
$91,028±$10kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$81,000±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Topsham 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±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$360,800±$20kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$313,600±$39kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Topsham and Walpole 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. |
$1,355±$642Highest 4% below U.S. |
$749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Topsham and Walpole 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. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$4,480 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Topsham 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1%Highest 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 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Topsham 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.