What stands out worked out from the figures below

Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Surry	Bellows Falls
People
Population	1,052Lowest	2,891Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.7±5.1Highest 15% above U.S.	41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Surry and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.8%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bellows Falls and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bellows Falls and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.6%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bellows Falls and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S.	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$331,400±$23kHighest about the U.S. average	$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S.	$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,384Highest 105% above U.S.	$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	43.9%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bellows Falls and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minHighest 17% below U.S.	20 minLowest 24% below U.S.
Work from home	16%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Surry 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

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.