Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Townsend vs Rockingham
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).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
Rockingham has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Townsend | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
9,100Highest |
4,807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
46.4±2.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Rockingham 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% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockingham 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% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Rockingham 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$70,857±$16k 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$210,900±$14k 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,062±$101 25% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,887 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Rockingham 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% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rockingham and Townsend 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.