Compare towns
Braintree 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
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Walpole | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
3,690Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Lowest 20% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Walpole 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 U.S. average |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Walpole 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 35% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% 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 | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #27 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.