Compare towns
Brookline vs Salisbury vs Windham 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Salisbury has the highest household income ($112k).
Windham has the most renters (17.1% 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 | Salisbury | Windham | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
1,609 |
594 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Brookline 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% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Salisbury 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% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 U.S. average |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Salisbury 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 13% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Windham 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. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
— | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 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% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Salisbury 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 | — | Merrimack Valley School District | — | 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 | 6 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.