What stands out worked out from the figures below

Swanton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.4%).

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	Swanton	Bellows Falls
People
Population	2,670Lowest	2,891Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.4%Highest VT: +2.8%	-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT	41.3±6.7Highest 4% below VT
	Bellows Falls and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9%	22.6%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Swanton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4%	23.7%±5.7Highest VT: 21.4%
	Bellows Falls and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%	27.5%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%	8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7%
	Bellows Falls and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,607±$27kHighest 18% below VT	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT
	Swanton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$229,000±$15kHighest 28% below VT	$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT
	Swanton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average	$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT
	Swanton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,370Lowest 13% below VT	$4,448Highest 12% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.1%±21.6Lowest VT: 48.4%	43.9%±16.8Highest VT: 48.4%
	Bellows Falls and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%	25.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.8%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Highest 24 yrs older than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 9% below VT	20 minLowest 14% below VT
Work from home	7.4%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9%	6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Swanton 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.