Compare towns
Alstead vs Bellows Falls vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.8%).
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Alstead | Bellows Falls | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Lowest |
2,891 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
| Alstead and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Alstead and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11k 20% below U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$71,491±$4kHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37k 18% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,038±$109Highest 27% below U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Bellows Falls and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322Highest 71% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.