Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Nelson 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 most affordable homes ($196k median).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Nelson | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891 |
648Lowest |
6,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Nelson and Bellows Falls 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% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$99,792±$23kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$340,900±$49kHighest about the U.S. average |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,203±$243Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Nelson 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 43% above U.S. |
$5,575Highest 79% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Nelson 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 |
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.