Compare towns
Exeter vs St. Albans 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
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
St. Albans has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
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 | Exeter | St. Albans | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
6,954 |
2,891Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.