Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Brattleboro vs Plainfield
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).
Brattleboro has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Brattleboro | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891 |
12,122Highest |
2,522Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. 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%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Plainfield 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. |
$58,241±$8k 28% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Brattleboro 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 | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | — | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.