Compare towns
Newark vs Westminster vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).
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 | Newark | Westminster | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 727Lowest |
2,999Highest |
1,167 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.4±6Lowest 4% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.2±11.6 5% above VT |
| Westminster and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Newark and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.2%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Brighton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,929±$7kHighest 10% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
| Newark and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,900±$23k 27% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
| Westminster and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,708±$97Highest 38% above VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,771 25% below VT |
$4,063Highest 19% below VT |
$3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.1%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
22% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 44% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 min 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.8%±8.2 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Newark 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Brighton School District |
| 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 |
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.