Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs White River Junction vs Wilder vs Westminster
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 affordable homes ($196k median).
White River Junction has the youngest population (median age 33.7).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | White River Junction | Wilder | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
3,364Highest |
3,087 |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.8% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
45.5±8.9 6% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| 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%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Westminster 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% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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 VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| 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 VT |
$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT |
$75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| White River Junction and Wilder 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 |
$278,800±$78kHighest 12% below VT |
$273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| White River Junction 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 |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| White River Junction and Wilder 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 |
$5,651Highest 12% above VT |
$5,505 9% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Highest 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% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
62.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 14% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
17 min 29% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and White River Junction 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 | — | — | — | 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.