Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Jay vs Windsor vs St. Albans
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
St. Albans has the most expensive homes ($263k median).
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 | Jay | Windsor | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
471Lowest |
2,060 |
6,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Jay and Windsor 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% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±8.8 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor 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% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor 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% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40% VT: 43.8% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2k 31% below VT |
$74,792±$25kHighest 8% below VT |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
| Jay and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
| St. Albans and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 16% below VT |
— | $1,002±$107Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
| St. Albans and Bellows Falls 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 |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
31.4%±20Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans 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% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.6% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 14% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and St. Albans 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 | — | — | #61 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.