Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Wells River vs Rockingham
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 kids (22.6% under 18).
Wells River has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
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 | Wells River | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891 |
340Lowest |
4,807Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
46.4±2.6Highest 8% above VT |
| Rockingham and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| 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±$2k 31% below VT |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
$70,857±$16kHighest 13% below VT |
| Rockingham and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
$170,800±$103kLowest 46% below VT |
$210,900±$14kHighest 33% below VT |
| Rockingham and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$900±$336Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,062±$101Highest 14% below VT |
| Rockingham and Bellows Falls 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 |
$4,154Lowest 18% below VT |
$4,887Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Wells River and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.1% VT: 10.1% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% VT: 73.2% |
47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
61.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938 38 yrs older than VT |
1938 38 yrs older than VT |
1938 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 14% below VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rockingham and Bellows Falls 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 | — | — | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.