Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Bedford vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
St. Albans has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
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 | Bellows Falls | Bedford | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
23,746Highest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bedford 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%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Bedford 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% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Bedford 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. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and St. Albans 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #7 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Bedford School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | — | Bedford High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.