Compare towns
Windsor vs Upton vs Bellows Falls vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Windsor | Upton | Bellows Falls | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,060 |
8,189Highest |
2,891 |
1,167Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3 15% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
| Upton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Bellows Falls 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% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton 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 U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22k 49% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107 29% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109Highest 27% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 56% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Brighton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.