Compare towns
Alstead vs Westminster vs Bridgewater
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 the most renters (24% rent).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Bridgewater has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
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 | Westminster | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551 |
2,999Highest |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3 44% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Lowest 38% above U.S. |
58.3±6.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bridgewater and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
$82,361±$9kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Bridgewater and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$398,600±$65kHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,125±$201Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Bridgewater 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. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
$2,823Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest 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% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±3.3Lowest 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 | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.