Compare towns
Brookline vs Ripton vs Springfield 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).
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 | Ripton | Springfield | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531 |
508Lowest |
1,122 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Lowest 16% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8 32% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Springfield 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±8 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$100,893±$19k 25% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Springfield 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. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$384,100±$50k 15% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Springfield 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. |
— | $1,096±$217 22% below U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$5,946Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Westminster 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% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6Lowest 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 | — | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | 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.