Compare towns
Rockingham vs Strafford vs Bellows Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rockingham has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
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.
| Measure | Rockingham | Strafford | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,807Highest |
1,372Lowest |
2,891 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.5% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.4±2.6 8% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
| Strafford and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham 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+ | 37.1% VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,900±$14k 33% below VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,062±$101 14% below VT |
$1,125±$789Highest 9% below VT |
$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
| Strafford and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,887 3% below VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±13.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rockingham and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.7% VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.7% VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 16% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
20 min 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rockingham and Strafford 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 | #65 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Rockingham School District | Strafford School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.