Compare towns
Brighton vs Newfields 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).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Newfields | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,167Lowest |
2,023 |
2,891Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Brighton and Newfields 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% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Newfields 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% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Newfields 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. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Brighton School District | Newfields School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.