Compare towns
Cavendish vs Westminster vs Sharon vs Barnet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k 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 | Cavendish | Westminster | Sharon | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242Lowest |
2,999Highest |
1,577 |
1,855 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
| Westminster and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29kHighest 10% above VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
| Cavendish and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
$247,900±$24kLowest 22% below VT |
| Sharon and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546 19% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
$974±$72 21% below VT |
| Sharon and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$4,489 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
26 min 12% above VT |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Cavendish 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 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Sharon School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 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.