Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Mapleton vs St. Albans vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Mapleton | St. Albans | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
1,884 |
6,954Highest |
1,167Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.2±11.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brighton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brighton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Mapleton 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 U.S. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18kHighest 21% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78Highest 19% below U.S. |
$775±$33 45% below U.S. |
| 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 | $4,448Highest 43% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$3,360 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and St. Albans 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% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brighton 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 | — | — | #46 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.