Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Ripton vs Walpole 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).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Ripton | Walpole | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
508Lowest |
3,690 |
6,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Walpole 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Walpole 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% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
— | $1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Walpole 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. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 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 9% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton and St. Albans 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 | — | — | #27 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | — | None 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 |
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.