Compare towns
Brookline vs Exeter vs Ripton 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).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
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 | Exeter | Ripton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531 |
16,151Highest |
508Lowest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest 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%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
— | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Brookline 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. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Ripton 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.