Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Hartford vs St. Albans vs Rockingham
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 kids (22.6% under 18).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
St. Albans has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
Rockingham has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Hartford | St. Albans | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
10,736Highest |
6,954 |
4,807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-8.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
46.4±2.6Highest 8% above VT |
| Rockingham and Hartford 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% |
18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Rockingham 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 |
$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
| Hartford and Rockingham 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 |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$210,900±$14k 33% below VT |
| Hartford and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,062±$101 14% below VT |
| Hartford and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 12% below VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,887 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7 VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Rockingham 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% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5% VT: 10.1% |
16.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
61.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 14% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rockingham and Hartford 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 | — | #34 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Hartford School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | — | Hartford High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6Lowest |
11.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.