Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Canaan 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).
Canaan has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.9%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Canaan | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
3,811Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.4±3.7 14% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Westminster 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% |
19.1%±4.2Lowest 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% |
28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Canaan 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. |
$81,583±$6kHighest about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$254,000±$26k 24% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,140±$90Highest 19% below U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Canaan and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$5,985Highest 92% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±25.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canaan and Westminster 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% |
13.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Canaan 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 | — | #83 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| 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.