What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Goshen has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).

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	Goshen
People
Population	2,891Highest	1,042Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S.	54.1±16.1Highest 39% above U.S.
	Goshen and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Goshen and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	27.5%±8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Goshen and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	0.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S.	$70,417±$26kHighest 13% below U.S.
	Goshen and Bellows Falls 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.	$255,600±$53kHighest 23% below U.S.
	Goshen 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±$109Lowest 27% below U.S.	$1,938±$416Highest 37% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S.	$4,760Highest 53% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	46.2%±74.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Goshen 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%	5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 24% below U.S.	23 minHighest 13% below U.S.
Work from home	6.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bellows Falls and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.