Compare towns
Sutton vs Westminster vs Strafford vs Vershire
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Strafford has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k 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 | Sutton | Westminster | Strafford | Vershire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 790Lowest |
2,999Highest |
1,372 |
842 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.6±5.7 8% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
45.7±9.3Lowest 6% above VT |
| Westminster and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±3.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8% VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Vershire and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$18kLowest 12% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$71,618±$12k 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,100±$41k 27% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$209,100±$55kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,125±$789Highest 9% below VT |
$1,117±$80 9% below VT |
| Strafford and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,975Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$4,640 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±31.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
77.8%±24.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Vershire and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85% VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Strafford 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 | Strafford 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 History | None yet | 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.