Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Westminster vs Newport vs Brighton
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).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Newport has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.9%).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Westminster | Newport | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
2,999 |
4,394Highest |
1,167Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-2.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
46.4±4.3 8% above VT |
45.2±11.6 5% above VT |
| Westminster and Newport 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% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
13.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton 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% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±4.7 VT: 21.4% |
27.2%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton 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 |
$71,491±$4kHighest 12% below VT |
$54,646±$12k 33% below VT |
$47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$179,400±$11k 43% below VT |
$163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Highest 16% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$850±$49 31% below VT |
$775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
| 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 12% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$4,036 20% below VT |
$3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
48.2%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
23% VT: 10.1% |
22% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.6% VT: 73.2% |
51.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1966 10 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 14% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.8%±8.3 VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Newport 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 | #63 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Newport City School District · North Country Union High School District | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School | North Country Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Lowest |
10.7Highest |
— |
| 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.