What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).

Dalton has the most homeowners (82.7%).

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	Dalton
People
Population	2,891Highest	916Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S.	44.5±12.9Highest 14% above U.S.
	Dalton 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 U.S.: 22%	20.6%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Bellows Falls and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bellows Falls and Dalton 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 U.S.: 35.7%	20.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bellows Falls and Dalton 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.	$81,429±$36kHighest about the U.S. average
	Dalton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$195,600±$35kHighest 41% below U.S.	$191,400±$68kLowest 42% below U.S.
	Bellows Falls and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,038±$109Highest 27% below U.S.	$900±$825Lowest 36% below U.S.
	Bellows Falls and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,448Highest 43% above U.S.	$3,561Lowest 14% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.7%±83.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dalton 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%	19.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 24% below U.S.	20 minLowest 25% below U.S.
Work from home	6.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bellows Falls and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.