Compare towns
Surry vs Westminster vs Alstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Alstead has the most renters (24% 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 | Surry | Westminster | Alstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,052Lowest |
2,999Highest |
1,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±5.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Alstead and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Surry and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Alstead and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
$64,526±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $331,400±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$271,600±$37kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Surry and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,384Highest 105% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$5,322 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
76%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Surry 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 | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.