Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Mendon vs Reading 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 most affordable homes ($196k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($377k median).
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 | Mendon | Reading | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
1,113 |
699Lowest |
6,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Mendon and Reading 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% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 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% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Mendon and Reading 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% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Mendon 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 |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
| Mendon and Reading 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 |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
| Reading and Mendon 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 |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Reading 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% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
19.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 14% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Mendon 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 | — | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | 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.