Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Olean vs Westminster 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
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Olean | Westminster | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
13,738Highest |
2,999 |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean 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% |
19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$71,491±$4kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Westminster 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. |
$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78Highest 19% below U.S. |
| St. Albans and Bellows Falls 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. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #337 of 484 in NY | #53 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | Bellows Falls Union High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
10.6Lowest |
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.