Compare towns
Walpole vs Westminster vs Plainfield
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).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Westminster | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,690Highest |
2,999 |
2,522Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest 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% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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 |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,078 95% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Westminster 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% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— |
| 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.