Compare towns
Topsham vs Westminster vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($223k median).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Topsham | Westminster | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 999Lowest |
2,999Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.1±5.9Lowest 16% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
50.7±5.2 18% above VT |
| Westminster and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Wells 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 VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,308±$60k 11% below VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below VT |
| Wells and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,900±$56kLowest 30% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Westminster and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $908±$398Lowest 26% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,006 21% below VT |
$4,063Highest 19% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.3% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 49% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.2%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Waits River Union High District #36 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| 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 |
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.