Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Swanton 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).
Swanton has the most homeowners (64.8%).
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 | Swanton | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891 |
2,670Lowest |
3,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.4% VT: +2.8% |
+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Highest 4% below VT |
37.8±4.7 12% below VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Swanton 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% |
17.1%±5Lowest 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% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest 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% |
38.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.7 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Swanton 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±$27k 18% below VT |
$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT |
| White River Junction and Swanton 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 |
$278,800±$78kHighest 12% below VT |
| White River Junction and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average |
$1,222±$216 about the VT average |
| Swanton and White River Junction 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 |
$4,370Lowest 13% below VT |
$5,651Highest 12% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.1%±21.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Bellows Falls and White River Junction 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% |
12.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% VT: 73.2% |
64.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1952 24 yrs older than VT |
1963Highest 13 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 14% below VT |
21 minHighest 9% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.4%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| White River Junction and Swanton 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 | 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.