Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Brighton vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Charleston has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
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 | Brighton | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Highest |
1,167 |
936Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.3% VT: +2.8% |
-0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
45.2±11.6 5% above VT |
58.4±9.3Highest 35% above VT |
| Charleston and Brighton 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% |
18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton 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% |
27.2%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
37.7%±8.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Charleston and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
13.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton 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 |
$47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$49,286±$17k 39% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
$163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
$238,000±$53kHighest 25% below VT |
| Charleston 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±$109Highest 16% below VT |
$775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$979±$444 21% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Highest 12% below VT |
$3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$3,750 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
32.7%±26.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton 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% |
22% VT: 10.1% |
12.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
51.1% VT: 73.2% |
87.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 14% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
18.7%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Charleston and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Brighton School District | Charleston School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.