Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Swanton 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 renters (49.3% rent).
Swanton has the youngest population (median age 37.8).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Swanton | Westminster | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
2,670Lowest |
2,999 |
3,554Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.4% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
| Westminster and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Swanton 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 VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% VT: 43.8% |
20.2%Lowest 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% |
2.2%±1.7 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 |
$66,607±$27k 18% below VT |
$71,491±$4kHighest 12% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
| Westminster and Swanton 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 |
$229,000±$15k 28% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$207,500±$31k 34% below VT |
| Westminster and Swanton 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 |
$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,026±$89 17% below VT |
| Swanton 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 |
$4,370 13% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,209Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
36.1%±21.6 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
20.1% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
64.8% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1952 24 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 |
21 min 9% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
23 min 3% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.4%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — |
| High school 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 |
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.