Compare towns
Royalton vs Bellows Falls vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalton has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Royalton | Bellows Falls | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,752 |
2,891Highest |
1,577Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
45.6±7.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Sharon and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Sharon 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+ | 42.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
| Royalton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$73k 17% below VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
| Sharon and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,040±$391 16% below VT |
$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,675 7% below VT |
$4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13% VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 11 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 13% below VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Royalton and Sharon 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | — | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | White River Valley High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| 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.