Compare towns
St. Albans vs Chatham 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
St. Albans has the most people working from home (12.1%).
Chatham has the most homeowners (82.8%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
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 | St. Albans | Chatham | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,954Highest |
430Lowest |
2,891 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.3±8.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
| Chatham and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±7.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±10Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chatham 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+ | 31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
$66,042±$19kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Chatham and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
$362,900±$42kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$78Highest 19% below U.S. |
— | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| St. Albans and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436 42% above U.S. |
$3,690Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,448Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| St. Albans and Chatham 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — | — |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — |
| 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.