What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rupert has the most people working from home (18.6%).

Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).

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	Rupert	Bellows Falls
People
Population	676Lowest	2,891Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.2%Highest VT: +2.8%	-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	57.8±9.7Highest 34% above VT	41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT
Kids under 18	13.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Bellows Falls and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	42.3%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4%	23.7%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.6%Highest VT: 43.8%	27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7%	8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7%
	Bellows Falls and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,229±$36kHighest 9% above VT	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT
	Rupert and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$362,500±$63kHighest 14% above VT	$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,038±$109 16% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,594Highest 9% below VT	$4,448Lowest 12% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	20%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%	43.9%±16.8Highest VT: 48.4%
	Bellows Falls and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6%Lowest VT: 10.1%	25.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Highest 21 yrs older than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 14% above VT	20 minLowest 14% below VT
Work from home	18.6%±9.2Highest VT: 16.9%	6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Rupert 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 Our Story	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.