Compare towns

Walpole vs Townsend 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).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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.

MeasureWalpoleTownsendWestminster
People
Population
3,690
9,100Highest
497Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-2.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
46.5±10.4Highest
20% above U.S.
40.9±3.3Lowest
5% above U.S.
43.3±11.5
11% above U.S.
Walpole and Westminster 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%
21%±3.2Lowest
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%
17.1%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±11.4
U.S.: 17.2%
Walpole and Westminster 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%
35.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
45.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4%±2.8
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.2%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Townsend 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
$121,528±$23kHighest
51% above U.S.
$81,000±$22kLowest
about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$319,800±$48k
4% below U.S.
$433,200±$22kHighest
30% above U.S.
$313,600±$39kLowest
6% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,165±$150
18% below U.S.
$1,469±$313Highest
4% above U.S.
$749±$315Lowest
47% below U.S.
Townsend 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.
$6,031
93% above U.S.
$4,480Lowest
44% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.6%±21.9Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±16.8
U.S.: 51.1%
6.1%±43.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Walpole and Townsend 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%
8.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
2.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
69.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
13% below U.S.
37 minHighest
41% above U.S.
30 min
13% above U.S.
Work from home
7.2%±4.9Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
23.1%±15.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Westminster and Townsend 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 #136 of 282 in MA #53 of 70 in VT
School district Fall Mountain Regional School District North Middlesex —
High school in town None in town North Middlesex Regional —
Students per teacherat that high school —
13.1
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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.