What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).

Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).

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	Brattleboro
People
Population	2,891Lowest	7,657Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT	44.3±5.9Highest about the VT average
	Brattleboro 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%	20%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Bellows Falls and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.7%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4%	24.8%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4%
	Brattleboro 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 VT: 43.8%	47.2%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7%	4.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7%
	Bellows Falls and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,086±$2kHighest 31% below VT	$52,734±$12kLowest 35% below VT
	Bellows Falls and Brattleboro 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	$234,600±$20kHighest 26% below VT
	Brattleboro 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	$1,113±$67Highest 10% below VT
	Brattleboro 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	$5,490Highest 9% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	46.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4%
	Brattleboro 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 VT: 10.1%	21.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7% VT: 73.2%	50.7% VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938 38 yrs older than VT	1938 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 14% below VT	15 minLowest 35% below VT
Work from home	6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9%	11.8%±5.1Highest VT: 16.9%
	Brattleboro and Bellows Falls 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	—	#33 of 70 in VT
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.