Compare towns
Brighton vs Bellows Falls vs Royalton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Royalton has the highest household income ($104k).
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 | Brighton | Bellows Falls | Royalton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,167Lowest |
2,891Highest |
2,752 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6Highest 5% above VT |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
| Brighton and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brighton 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+ | 25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
27.5% VT: 43.8% |
42.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$56,086±$2k 31% below VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
$195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
$263,200±$73kHighest 17% below VT |
| Royalton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$1,040±$391Highest 16% below VT |
| Royalton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$4,448 12% below VT |
$4,675Highest 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22% VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
63.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 9 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1965 11 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Royalton and Brighton 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 | — | — | #48 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Brighton School District | — | White River Unified School District #79 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | White River Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
| 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.