Compare towns
Rockingham vs Townsend 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
Rockingham has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
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 | Townsend | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,807 |
9,100Highest |
2,891Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±2.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
| Rockingham and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 12% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,900±$14k 37% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,062±$101 25% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,887 57% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rockingham and Townsend 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Rockingham School District | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.