What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).

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	Surry
People
Population	2,891Highest	1,052Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S.	44.7±5.1Highest 15% above U.S.
	Surry and Bellows Falls 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%	20.8%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Bellows Falls and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	23.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bellows Falls and Surry 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%	31.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	6.6%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bellows Falls and Surry 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 U.S.	$110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S.	$331,400±$23kHighest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S.	$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S.	$6,384Highest 105% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.9%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bellows Falls and Surry 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%	3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 24% below U.S.	22 minHighest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Surry 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 Our Story	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.