What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has the most people working from home (14.4%).

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	Exeter	Bellows Falls
People
Population	913Lowest	2,891Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-12.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	51.7±12.6Highest 33% above U.S.	41.3±6.7Lowest 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	22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22%	22.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Exeter and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.9%±10.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	23.7%±5.7Lowest 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+	28.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,550±$19kHighest 4% below U.S.	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S.
	Exeter and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$243,000±$89kHighest 27% below U.S.	$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S.
	Exeter and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$867±$44Lowest 39% below U.S.	$1,038±$109Highest 27% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,926Lowest 6% 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 Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.7%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	29 minHighest 9% above U.S.	20 minLowest 24% below U.S.
Work from home	14.4%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Exeter and Bellows Falls 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.