The Town FilesWalpole, New Hampshire
Town in Cheshire County · population 3,633 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $319,800
- Household income
- $82,617
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 60 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 46.5
Walpole is a town of 3,633 people in Cheshire County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $319,800, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks better for young professionals than 84% of New Hampshire towns, better for retirees than 78% of New Hampshire towns, more walkable than 70% of New Hampshire towns.
How Walpole ranks
Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Walpole is worth $319,800, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $82,617, which is more affordable than 46% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $1,165 a month. 69.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Walpole | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $319,800 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | $1,165 | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $82,617 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 69.9% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.8% | — |
Who lives in Walpole
| People | Walpole | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.5% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.9% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.0% | 92.5% |
Weather in Walpole
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 12.5°F. About 47.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 59.9 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walpole since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 26, 1961 about 5.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 4, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 29, 2012.
Severe weather in Cheshire County since 1996
Cheshire County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4740: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 4, 2021 | Flood | DR-4624: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 30, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4622: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3445: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cheshire County
Cheshire County had 31,134 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,392 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Walpole itself the ACS puts it at 1.1%.
Public schools in Walpole
2 public schools with 191 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walpole Elementary School | 5-8 | 117 | 9.8 |
| Walpole Primary School | PK-1 | 74 | 12.3 |
Towns near Walpole
- Bellows Falls, VT4.6 mi · 2,747 people · home $195,600
- Westminster, VT5.3 mi · 3,016 people · home $273,800
- Rockingham, VT8.1 mi · 4,832 people · home $210,900
- Putney, VT8.7 mi · 2,617 people · home $300,000
- Keene, NH10.0 mi · 23,047 people · home $252,500
- Charlestown, NH11.5 mi · 4,806 people · home $228,000
- Chesterfield, NH13.5 mi · 3,552 people · home $373,500
- Springfield, VT15.1 mi · 9,062 people · home $192,400
Walpole questions
Is Walpole, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Walpole scores better for retirees than 78% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 22%. 25.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.5).
How much does a house cost in Walpole?
The median owner-occupied home in Walpole is valued at $319,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,617, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,165 a month.
What is the weather like in Walpole?
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 12.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.0 inches of precipitation a year and 59.9 inches of snow.
Does Walpole get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walpole since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 26, 1961. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)