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 most renters (30.1% rent).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Townsend | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,690 |
9,100Highest |
2,999Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend 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±$16k about the U.S. average |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% 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. |
$4,063Lowest 30% 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% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest 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% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.