Compare towns
Bennington vs Walpole vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Walpole has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Bennington | Walpole | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
3,690 |
497Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.3±11.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$81,000±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$313,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,480Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Bennington 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.