What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dalton has the most renters (29.3% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dalton	Westminster
People
Population	6,256Highest	2,999Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.7±5.8Lowest 28% above U.S.	53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S.
	Westminster and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%	18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Dalton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	27.6%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dalton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Westminster and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,438±$8kHighest about the U.S. average	$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S.
	Dalton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,700±$26kHighest 11% below U.S.	$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S.
	Dalton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S.	$916±$126Highest 35% below U.S.
	Westminster and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,276Highest 37% above U.S.	$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.2%±19Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Westminster and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S.	1980Highest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.	24 minHighest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	12.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#192 of 282 in MA	#53 of 70 in VT
School district	Central Berkshire	Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District
High school in town	Wahconah Regional High	Bellows Falls Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Highest	10.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.