What stands out worked out from the figures below

Throop has the most affordable homes ($186k median).

Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).

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	Throop	Westminster
People
Population	1,651Highest	497Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-8% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	52.7±3.1Highest 35% above U.S.	43.3±11.5Lowest 11% above U.S.
	Throop and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	23.3%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.7%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Throop and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Throop and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,268±$15kHighest 12% above U.S.	$81,000±$22kLowest about the U.S. average
	Throop and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$185,900±$20kLowest 44% below U.S.	$313,600±$39kHighest 6% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,099±$88Highest 22% below U.S.	$749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S.
	Throop and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,261Lowest 37% above U.S.	$4,480Highest 44% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±69.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Throop and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	30 minHighest 13% above U.S.
Work from home	7.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Westminster and Throop 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
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.