Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Dover vs Norwich
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).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Norwich has the highest household income ($140k).
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 | Dover | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
33,364Highest |
3,640 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Highest 6% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.8±3.2 5% above U.S. |
| Bellows Falls and Norwich 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% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Dover 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% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Dover 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. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12kHighest 74% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322 3% above U.S. |
| Dover and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Norwich and Dover 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #1 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Dover School District | Norwich School District |
| High school in town | — | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.