Compare towns
Windsor vs Charleston vs Bellows Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Charleston has the most people working from home (18.7%).
Bellows Falls has the highest household income ($56k).
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 | Windsor | Charleston | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,060 |
936Lowest |
2,891Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.2% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
58.4±9.3Highest 35% above VT |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
| Charleston and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8 VT: 17.9% |
11.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±8 VT: 21.4% |
37.7%±8.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Charleston and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Highest VT: 43.8% |
13.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
27.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.3 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,197±$4k 37% below VT |
$49,286±$17kLowest 39% below VT |
$56,086±$2kHighest 31% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
$238,000±$53kHighest 25% below VT |
$195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
| Charleston and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107 19% below VT |
$979±$444Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,038±$109Highest 16% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
$4,448 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20Lowest VT: 48.4% |
32.7%±26.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.3% VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6% VT: 73.2% |
87.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.7%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Charleston and Bellows Falls 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Charleston School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.