Compare towns
Dover vs Bellows Falls vs Royalton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Royalton has the most homeowners (63.5%).
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 | Dover | Bellows Falls | Royalton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
2,891 |
2,752Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
43.9±10.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Royalton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$103,938±$24kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Royalton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$263,200±$73k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,040±$391 26% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$4,675 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.7%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±7.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Royalton 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | — | #48 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Dover School District | — | White River Unified School District #79 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | — | White River Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.