Compare towns
Brighton vs Milton vs Bellows Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Milton has the most homeowners (86.3%).
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Milton | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,167Lowest |
4,538Highest |
2,891 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
45.7±2.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Milton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±5 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest 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 | $47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$94,493±$27kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,587±$318Highest 12% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$5,663Highest 82% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±24.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Milton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Milton 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 | — | #116 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Brighton School District | Milton School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Nute High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— |
| 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.