Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Eliot vs St. Albans 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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
St. Albans has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Eliot | St. Albans | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
7,146Highest |
6,954 |
1,167Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and St. Albans 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% |
43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$4,549Highest 46% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 15% 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% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Eliot 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #46 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.