Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Norwich vs Rockingham
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 renters (49.3% rent).
Norwich has the most expensive homes ($638k median).
Rockingham has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
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 | Norwich | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
3,640 |
4,807Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-8.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% below VT |
46.4±2.6Highest 8% above VT |
| Rockingham 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 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Norwich 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 VT: 21.4% |
16%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham 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 VT: 43.8% |
81%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Rockingham 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 |
$140,313±$12kHighest 73% above VT |
$70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$637,500±$76kHighest 101% above VT |
$210,900±$14k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,460±$322Highest 18% above VT |
$1,062±$101 14% below VT |
| Norwich and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
$10,000+Highest at least 98% above VT |
$4,887 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rockingham 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% |
2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
71.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minHighest 14% below VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21%±5.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Norwich and Rockingham 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 | — | #1 of 70 in VT | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Norwich School District | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | — | None 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.