Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Bow vs Westminster
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 renters (49.3% rent).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
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 | Bow | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
8,335Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Bow 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. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Bow 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.