Compare towns
Barton vs Bellows Falls vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most people working from home (16.5%).
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Brighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-5.3%).
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 | Barton | Bellows Falls | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730Lowest |
2,891Highest |
1,167 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
45.2±11.6Highest 5% above VT |
| Brighton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
27.2%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brighton 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+ | 21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$56,086±$2kHighest 31% below VT |
$47,375±$21k 42% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$195,600±$35kHighest 38% below VT |
$163,900±$39k 48% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,038±$109Highest 16% below VT |
$775±$33 37% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,448Highest 12% below VT |
$3,360 33% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55%±17 VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
25.1% VT: 10.1% |
22%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
51.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1967Highest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Barton and Brighton 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | — | Brighton School District |
| High school 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.