Compare towns
Brookline vs Ripton vs Windsor 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).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Windsor has the most renters (42.2% rent).
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 | Windsor | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531 |
508Lowest |
3,554Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
44.8±6.5Lowest 4% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Windsor 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
— | $1,026±$89 17% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,209Highest 3% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
7.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
23 minLowest 3% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | — | #61 of 70 in VT | #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 | 12 photos → | 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.