Compare towns
Whitefield vs Appleton vs Bethlehem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitefield has the most renters (37.4% rent).
Appleton has the most homeowners (82.6%).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
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 | Whitefield | Appleton | Bethlehem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,516 |
1,360Lowest |
2,537Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.6Highest 32% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Lowest 26% above U.S. |
50.6±8.5 30% above U.S. |
| Whitefield and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bethlehem and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whitefield and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whitefield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,125±$12k 22% below U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$85,029±$18kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$22k 28% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$288,300±$22kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,077±$160Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,394 41% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$5,418Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #86 of 120 in NH | — | #34 of 120 in NH |
| School district | White Mountains Regional School District | Appleton Public Schools | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District |
| High school in town | White Mountains Regional High School | None in town | Profile Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.9Lowest |
— | 8.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.