Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Essex Junction vs White River Junction
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Essex Junction has the most expensive homes ($408k median).
White River Junction has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | Essex Junction | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
10,803Highest |
3,364 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+14.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+10.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Highest 4% below VT |
39.3±3.1 9% below VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.9%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
6.7%±2.2 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Essex Junction 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 VT |
$89,257±$16kHighest 10% above VT |
$77,168±$4k 5% below VT |
| Essex Junction and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$407,500±$20kHighest 29% above VT |
$278,800±$78k 12% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,544±$135Highest 25% above VT |
$1,222±$216 about the VT average |
| Essex Junction and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
$6,797Highest 35% above VT |
$5,651 12% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
61.3%±14.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Essex Junction 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 VT: 10.1% |
9.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% VT: 73.2% |
59.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minHighest 14% below VT |
19 min 18% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Essex Junction and White River Junction 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 | — | #14 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | — |
| High school in town | — | Essex High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.