Compare towns
Wilton vs Townsend vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wilton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Walpole has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Wilton | Townsend | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,960 |
9,100Highest |
3,690Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5.2Highest 20% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
| Wilton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest 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+ | 22%±6.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,349±$21k 42% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Townsend and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $381,500±$23k 15% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,382±$70 about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,165±$150Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,612Highest 144% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.1%±39.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest 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 | 3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wilton and Townsend 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 | #54 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District | North Middlesex | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | Wilton-Lyndeboro Senior High School | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1Lowest |
13.1Highest |
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| 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.