Compare towns
Barnet vs Westminster vs Bethel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.6%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Bethel has the highest household income ($76k).
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 | Barnet | Westminster | Bethel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,855 |
2,999Highest |
1,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3Lowest 11% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
50.7±3.7 18% above VT |
| Westminster and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$75,822±$7kHighest 7% below VT |
| Bethel and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24k 22% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$238,000±$41kLowest 25% below VT |
| Westminster and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72 21% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,335±$220Highest 8% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489 11% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,168Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54%±22 VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
83.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | White River Unified School District #79 |
| 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 |
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.