Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Lyme 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 most renters (49.3% rent).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
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 | Lyme | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891 |
1,710Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Lyme 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% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest 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 | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme 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% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 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. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Westminster 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 | — | Lyme 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.