Compare towns
Walpole vs Windsor Locks vs Plainfield vs Bellows Falls
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 expensive homes ($320k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
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 | Windsor Locks | Plainfield | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,690 |
12,579 |
15,141Highest |
2,891Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls 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% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Plainfield 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. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield 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. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Walpole 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% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Windsor Locks School District | Plainfield School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | Plainfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
10.3Highest |
— |
| 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.