Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Eliot vs Topsham
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).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
7,146 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Topsham 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% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Topsham 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% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Topsham 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. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Topsham 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. |
$4,549Highest 46% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Eliot and Topsham 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 | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.