Compare towns
Windsor vs Salem 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
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
Salem has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Salem | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,060Lowest |
30,964Highest |
2,891 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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%±8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,197±$4kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 56% above U.S. |
$6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #61 of 70 in VT | #38 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Salem School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Salem High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.