Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Ludlow vs Newark
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).
Ludlow has the most expensive homes ($304k median).
Newark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).
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 | Ludlow | Newark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Highest |
808 |
727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+0.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
48.7±5.6Highest 13% above VT |
41.4±6 4% below VT |
| Ludlow and Newark 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% |
13.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Newark 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% |
30.4%±0.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.9%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.3% VT: 43.8% |
41%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Ludlow 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 |
$56,667±$19k 30% below VT |
$72,929±$7kHighest 10% below VT |
| Newark and Ludlow 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 |
$304,000±$32kHighest 4% below VT |
$229,900±$23k 27% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$1,018±$91Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,708±$97Highest 38% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Highest 12% below VT |
$4,237 16% below VT |
$3,771Lowest 25% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
33%±13.8 VT: 48.4% |
7.1%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Ludlow 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
22.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
51.4% VT: 73.2% |
90.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 14% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
34 minHighest 44% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±6.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.8%±8.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Ludlow and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.