Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Walpole vs St. Albans vs Brighton
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Walpole has the highest household income ($83k).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Walpole | St. Albans | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
3,690 |
6,954Highest |
1,167Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Brighton 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% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Walpole 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% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brighton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Walpole and St. Albans 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. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Walpole and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and St. Albans 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% |
11.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brighton and St. Albans 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 | — | #27 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.