Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Plainfield vs Westminster vs Wilder
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 affordable homes ($196k median).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Plainfield | Westminster | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
2,522Lowest |
2,999 |
3,087Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Bellows Falls 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% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Wilder 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% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Wilder 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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
$75,143±$9k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Bellows Falls 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Plainfield 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Plainfield 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 | 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.