What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dummer has the most homeowners (94.2%).

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	Dummer	Bellows Falls
People
Population	299Lowest	2,891Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-12.7% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S.	41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Dummer and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bellows Falls and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.4%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bellows Falls and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	27.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bellows Falls and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,250±$21kHighest 13% above U.S.	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$242,200±$51kHighest 27% below U.S.	$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S.
	Dummer and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,038±$109 27% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,898Lowest 7% below U.S.	$4,448Highest 43% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	43.9%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bellows Falls and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 5% below U.S.	20 minLowest 24% below U.S.
Work from home	6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	6.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bellows Falls and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.