What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).

Alstead has the most people working from home (12.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bellows Falls	Alstead
People
Population	2,891Highest	1,551Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S.	56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22%	12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	23.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	27.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Alstead 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+	27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	28.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bellows Falls and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S.	$64,526±$11kHighest 20% below U.S.
	Alstead and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S.	$271,600±$37kHighest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,038±$109 27% below U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S.	$5,322Highest 71% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Alstead and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	76%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 24% below U.S.	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	12.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Alstead and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	Fall Mountain Regional School District
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.