Compare towns
Cambridge vs Westminster vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Brookline has the highest household income ($81k).
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 | Cambridge | Westminster | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,767Highest |
2,999 |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.4±1.8Lowest 13% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Cambridge and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| 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 | $72,344±$19k 11% below VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average |
| Brookline and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,000±$38kHighest 8% above VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Cambridge and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,183±$66 4% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,910 about the VT average |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.6%±7.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 38% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 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 | #25 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Cambridge 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 Our Story | 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.