What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).

Franklin has the most people working from home (18.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bellows Falls	Franklin
People
Population	2,891Highest	1,590Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-3%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	41.3±6.7Highest 4% below VT	38.8±6.9Lowest 10% below VT
	Bellows Falls and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9%	23.5%±5.6Highest VT: 17.9%
	Franklin 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 VT: 21.4%	15.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.5%Highest VT: 43.8%	21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7%	7.5%±3.1Lowest VT: 7%
	Bellows Falls and Franklin 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	$79,917±$21kHighest about the VT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT	$247,400±$66kHighest 22% below VT
	Franklin and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,038±$109Highest 16% below VT	$891±$266Lowest 28% below VT
	Bellows Falls and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,448Highest 12% below VT	$3,384Lowest 33% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	45.5%±42.2Highest VT: 48.4%
	Franklin 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%	8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%	74.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 14% below VT	25 minHighest 8% above VT
Work from home	6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9%	18.1%±4.7Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
School district	—	Missisquoi Valley School District #89
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.