Compare towns
Brookline vs Dummerston vs Exeter 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
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 | Dummerston | Exeter | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
2,090 |
913 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
51.7±12.6 33% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±10.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$77,550±$19k 4% below U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Dummerston 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. |
$335,300±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$243,000±$89kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$867±$44Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$2,926Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±10.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Dummerston 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 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | 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 History | None yet | 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.