What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Athens has the most people working from home (19.3%).

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.

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

Measure	Bellows Falls	Athens
People
Population	2,891Highest	431Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT	47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT
	Athens and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9%	13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Bellows Falls and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.7%±5.7Highest VT: 21.4%	21.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Bellows Falls and Athens 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 VT: 43.8%	30.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7%	4.9%±3Lowest VT: 7%
	Bellows Falls and Athens 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 VT	$68,438±$30kHighest 16% below VT
	Athens 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 38% below VT	$240,400±$32kHighest 24% below VT
	Athens and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT	$1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT
	Athens and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,448Lowest 12% below VT	$5,438Highest 8% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.9%±16.8Highest VT: 48.4%	43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Bellows Falls and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	25.1%Highest VT: 10.1%	12.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%	73.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 14% below VT	36 minHighest 53% above VT
Work from home	6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9%	19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9%
	Athens and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.