Compare towns
Braintree vs Sandgate 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 highest household income ($80k).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Westminster has the most kids (18.2% under 18).
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 | Sandgate | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
435Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
55.7±5.4 29% above VT |
53.5±3.7Lowest 24% above VT |
| Braintree and Sandgate 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% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Sandgate 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% |
26%±11.3Lowest 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% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Braintree and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
| Westminster and Braintree 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 |
— | $916±$126Highest 26% below VT |
| Westminster and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 22% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,063Highest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Westminster 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.