Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Mapleton vs Union vs St. Albans
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).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
St. Albans has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
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.
| Measure | Bellows Falls | Mapleton | Union | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
1,884Lowest |
2,663 |
6,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
41.8±6Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.6±5.3 7% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Union and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Union 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest 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±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$80,724±$9k about the U.S. average |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$267,600±$42kHighest 20% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Union 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±$109 27% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,179±$452Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Union and St. Albans 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. |
$3,276 5% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% 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% |
24.6%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Union 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 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | — | None 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 |
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.