Compare towns
Barnard vs Bellows Falls vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Barnard | Bellows Falls | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,211Lowest |
2,891Highest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6Highest about the VT average |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19k 20% above VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
| Calais and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80 11% above VT |
$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038 20% above VT |
$4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 21% above VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.