Compare towns
Brookline vs Ware 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 highest household income ($81k).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% 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 | Ware | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
10,048Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Ware 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% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Ware 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. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Ware | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.