Compare towns
Cabot vs Dummerston vs Westminster vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Dummerston has the most expensive homes ($335k median).
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Cabot | Dummerston | Westminster | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,579 |
2,090 |
2,999Highest |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.3±6.6Lowest 6% below VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Westminster and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cabot and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,031±$16k 5% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| Dummerston and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,500±$77k 15% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,243±$354 about the VT average |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Dummerston and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,639Highest 8% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±26.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 27% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±4.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Dummerston 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 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.