Compare towns
Walpole vs Windham vs Salisbury vs Lancaster
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).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
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 | Windham | Salisbury | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,690Highest |
594Lowest |
1,200 |
3,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
45.5±6.9 17% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Lancaster 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% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walpole and Lancaster 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 |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$68,911±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Windham 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. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51k 8% below U.S. |
$215,700±$24kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Windham 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. |
— | $1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,019±$263Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
$4,226Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Windham 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Lancaster 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 | — | — | #107 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | White Mountains Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.