Compare towns
Brookline vs Ludlow 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 most kids (20% under 18).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Ludlow | Windham | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
1,990 |
594 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+10.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
52.2±6.2 21% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Ludlow 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% |
14.1%±6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ludlow 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 VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.8%±6.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Ludlow 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 VT average |
$54,885±$14kLowest 32% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Windham 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 8% below VT |
$370,200±$46kHighest 17% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
| Ludlow 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 |
$1,112±$151 10% below VT |
— | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 about the VT average |
$4,890 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
45.2%±25.2 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% |
5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
71.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
21.3%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Ludlow 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 | — | Ludlow Mt. Holly Unified Union School District #83 | — | 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 |
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.