Compare towns
Brighton vs Westminster vs Bellows Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% 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 | Brighton | Westminster | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,167Lowest |
2,999Highest |
2,891 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6 5% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
| Westminster and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$71,491±$4kHighest 12% below VT |
$56,086±$2k 31% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$1,038±$109Highest 16% below VT |
| Bellows Falls and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$4,448Highest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Brighton 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 | Brighton School District | 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.