Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Reading vs Westminster vs Windsor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Reading 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 | Reading | Westminster | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
699Lowest |
2,999 |
3,554Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
| Westminster and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Reading 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 VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| 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±$2k 31% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
| Reading 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±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$207,500±$31k 34% below VT |
| Reading and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,026±$89 17% below VT |
| Reading and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 12% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,209 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading 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 VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 14% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
23 min 3% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Reading 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 | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | 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 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.