Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs St. Albans vs Norwich
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 affordable homes ($196k median).
St. Albans has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
Norwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
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 | St. Albans | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
6,954Highest |
3,640 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Highest 4% below VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
40.8±3.2 5% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Norwich 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% |
20.5%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.1Highest 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%±5.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
16%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Norwich 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% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
81%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Norwich 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 |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$140,313±$12kHighest 73% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$637,500±$76kHighest 101% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,460±$322Highest 18% above VT |
| Norwich 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 12% below VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$10,000+Highest at least 98% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans 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% |
19.5% VT: 10.1% |
2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
71.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 14% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
21%±5.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #46 of 70 in VT | #1 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Norwich School District |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.