What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).

Ryegate has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bellows Falls	Ryegate
People
Population	2,891Highest	1,059Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	41.3±6.7Highest 4% below VT	41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT
	Bellows Falls and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9%	23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9%
	Ryegate and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.7%±5.7Highest VT: 21.4%	22.1%±1.5Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Bellows Falls and Ryegate 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%	29.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7%	2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT	$66,484±$15kHighest 18% below VT
	Ryegate and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT	$219,300±$32kHighest 31% below VT
	Ryegate and Bellows Falls 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	$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT
	Bellows Falls and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,448Highest 12% below VT	$3,472Lowest 31% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4%
	Ryegate 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%	14.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%	84.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1949Highest 27 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 14% below VT	28 minHighest 18% above VT
Work from home	6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9%	8.2%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9%
	Ryegate and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.