Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs St. Albans vs Westminster vs White River Junction
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).
Westminster has the most homeowners (88.2%).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | Westminster | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
6,954Highest |
2,999 |
3,364 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
38.7±2 10% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| 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 VT: 43.8% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| 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±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT |
| White River Junction and Westminster 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 |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$278,800±$78kHighest 12% below VT |
| White River Junction and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
| White River Junction 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 |
$4,436 12% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,651Highest 12% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Westminster 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% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% VT: 73.2% |
49% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 14% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and White River Junction 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 | — | #46 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Bellows Falls Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
10.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.