Compare towns
White River Junction vs Plainfield vs Bellows Falls vs St. Albans
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%).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.3%).
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 | White River Junction | Plainfield | Bellows Falls | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,364 |
2,522Lowest |
2,891 |
6,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
41.3±6.7Highest 6% above U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
| Bellows Falls and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,168±$4k 4% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,800±$78k 16% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,222±$216 14% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,651 81% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest 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 | 12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
49% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and White River Junction 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Plainfield School District | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.