Compare towns
Brookline vs Dover 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
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Dover | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
33,364Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Westminster 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 U.S. average |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Dover and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Dover School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Dover Senior High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.