Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs North Westminster vs Brighton
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 kids (22.6% under 18).
North Westminster has the most people working from home (37.3%).
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 | North Westminster | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Highest |
125Lowest |
1,167 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -5.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
59.5±9.3Highest 38% above VT |
45.2±11.6 5% above VT |
| North Westminster and Brighton 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% |
0%±22.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
44%±40.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.2%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| North Westminster and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% VT: 43.8% |
52%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
0%±11.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kHighest 31% below VT |
— | $47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kHighest 38% below VT |
$171,500±$128k 46% below VT |
$163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and North Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Highest 16% below VT |
— | $775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Highest 12% below VT |
$2,938Lowest 42% below VT |
$3,360 33% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
— | 55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton 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 VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
22% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 14% below VT |
— | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
37.3%±23.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
| North Westminster and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Brighton School District |
| 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.