Compare towns
Brookline vs Castleton vs Ripton vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Brookline | Castleton | Ripton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531 |
4,453Highest |
508Lowest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Ripton and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
— | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Highest about the VT average |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | 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 History | None yet | 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.