Compare towns
Salisbury vs Bellows Falls vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Salisbury | Bellows Falls | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,609Lowest |
2,891 |
8,799Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.7±2 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury 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+ | 37.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$71,648±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$262,200±$22k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,110±$68 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$4,886 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±11.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bellows Falls and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #112 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Merrimack Valley School District | — | Franklin School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Franklin High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 16.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.