Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Sharon vs Newport
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).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Newport has the most people working from home (16.8%).
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.
| Measure | Bellows Falls | Sharon | Newport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891 |
1,577Lowest |
4,394Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
46.4±4.3Highest 8% above VT |
| Newport and Sharon 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% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
13.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Sharon 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% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Newport and Sharon 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% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Newport 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 VT |
$84,375±$17kHighest 4% above VT |
$54,646±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
$179,400±$11kLowest 43% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
$850±$49Lowest 31% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 12% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$4,036Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.2%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Newport 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% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
23% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1966 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 14% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.8%±8.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newport and Sharon 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 | — | — | #63 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Sharon School District | Newport City School District · North Country Union High School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | North Country Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.