Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Brighton vs Mapleton 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
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Mapleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.2%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Brighton | Mapleton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
1,167Lowest |
1,884 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Mapleton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Highest 27% below U.S. |
$775±$33 45% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$916±$126 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 | $4,448Highest 43% above U.S. |
$3,360 8% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | — | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Brighton School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.