What stands out worked out from the figures below

Derby Center has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.4%).

Bellows Falls has the most people working from home (6.9%).

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	Derby Center	Bellows Falls
People
Population	693Lowest	2,891Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.4%Highest VT: +2.8%	-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	61.1±7Highest 42% above VT	41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT
Kids under 18	14.1%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9%	22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Bellows Falls and Derby Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	38.2%±6.5Highest VT: 21.4%	23.7%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%	27.5%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±3.4Lowest VT: 7%	8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7%
	Bellows Falls and Derby Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$58,250±$10kHighest 28% below VT	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT
	Derby Center and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$196,600±$24kHighest 38% below VT	$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT
	Derby Center and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,078±$257Highest 13% below VT	$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT
	Derby Center and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,505Lowest 50% below VT	$4,448Highest 12% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.2%±26.7Highest VT: 48.4%	43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Derby Center and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%	25.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.5%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	16 minLowest 31% below VT	20 minHighest 14% below VT
Work from home	3.2%±3Lowest VT: 16.9%	6.9%±5.3Highest VT: 16.9%
	Bellows Falls and Derby Center 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

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.