Compare towns
Calais vs Dover vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the highest household income ($101k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
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 | Calais | Dover | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713 |
1,466Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Calais and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Calais and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
| Calais and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
| Calais and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Calais 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.