Compare towns
White River Junction vs Durham vs St. Albans 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
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($498k median).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | White River Junction | Durham | St. Albans | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,364 |
10,681Highest |
6,954 |
2,891Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±3.2 13% below U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
41.3±6.7Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Bellows Falls and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5 U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,168±$4k 4% below U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,800±$78k 16% below U.S. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,222±$216 14% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Durham and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,651 81% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| White River Junction and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #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 Our Story | None yet | 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.