Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Swanton vs St. Albans
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).
Swanton has the most homeowners (64.8%).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Swanton | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891 |
2,670Lowest |
6,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.4% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Highest 4% below VT |
37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT |
38.7±2 10% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and St. Albans 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% |
24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Swanton 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% |
19.3%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Swanton 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% |
20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and St. Albans 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 |
$66,607±$27kHighest 18% below VT |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
| Swanton and St. Albans 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 |
$229,000±$15k 28% below VT |
$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
| Swanton and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Highest 12% below VT |
$4,370Lowest 13% below VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
36.1%±21.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest 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% |
20.1% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% VT: 73.2% |
64.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1952Highest 24 yrs older than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 14% below VT |
21 min 9% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.4%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Albans and Swanton 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 |
| School district | — | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | — | — | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| 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.