What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).

Whitefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bellows Falls	Whitefield
People
Population	2,891Highest	2,516Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S.	51.4±4.6Highest 32% above U.S.
	Whitefield 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%	14.3%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Bellows Falls and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	28.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Whitefield 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	26.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bellows Falls and Whitefield 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.	$63,125±$12kHighest 22% below U.S.
	Whitefield 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±$35kLowest 41% below U.S.	$240,400±$22kHighest 28% below U.S.
	Whitefield 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±$109Lowest 27% below U.S.	$1,077±$160Highest 24% below U.S.
	Whitefield and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,448Highest 43% above U.S.	$4,394Lowest 41% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	47.9%±15.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Whitefield 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 U.S.: 12.5%	11%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	62.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 24% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Whitefield 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	—	#86 of 120 in NH
School district	—	White Mountains Regional School District
High school in town	—	White Mountains Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	7.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.