Compare towns
Brookline vs Fairfax vs Windham 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
Windham has the most renters (17.1% rent).
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
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 | Fairfax | Windham | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
5,226Highest |
594 |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Windham 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 VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Fairfax 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 |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Fairfax and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
| Fairfax and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
— | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 about the VT average |
$5,497 9% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 21% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Fairfax 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 | — | #36 of 70 in VT | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Fairfax School District | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | — | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
— | 10.6Highest |
| 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.