Compare towns
Braintree vs Royalton vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Royalton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).
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 | Braintree | Royalton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
2,752 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
43.9±10.1Lowest about the VT average |
53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
| Braintree and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
42.6% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Royalton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Royalton and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$263,200±$73k 17% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
| Westminster and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,040±$391Highest 16% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
| Royalton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,675Highest 7% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% VT: 10.1% |
13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% above VT |
20 minLowest 13% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Braintree 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 | — | #48 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | White River Unified School District #79 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | White River Valley High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.