What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dalton has the most homeowners (82.7%).

Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).

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	Dalton	Bellows Falls
People
Population	916Lowest	2,891Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.5±12.9Highest 14% above U.S.	41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Dalton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bellows Falls and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bellows Falls and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	27.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bellows Falls and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,429±$36kHighest about the U.S. average	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S.
	Dalton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$191,400±$68kLowest 42% below U.S.	$195,600±$35kHighest 41% below U.S.
	Bellows Falls and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$900±$825Lowest 36% below U.S.	$1,038±$109Highest 27% below U.S.
	Bellows Falls and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,561Lowest 14% above U.S.	$4,448Highest 43% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.7%±83.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dalton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 25% below U.S.	20 minHighest 24% below U.S.
Work from home	5.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	6.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bellows Falls and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.