Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Surry vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Surry | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891 |
1,052Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.7±5.1 15% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Surry 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%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest 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%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest 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. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$331,400±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Surry 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 27% below U.S. |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$6,384Highest 105% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Surry 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 | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | — | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.