Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Durham vs Windsor vs Brighton
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 kids (22.6% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Windsor | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
15,080Highest |
3,554 |
1,167Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brighton and Windsor 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% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$52,484±$11k 35% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$207,500±$31k 38% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,026±$89 27% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,209 67% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Brighton 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% |
15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Brighton 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #61 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | — | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | Oyster River High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.