What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).

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	Townsend	Westminster
People
Population	9,100Highest	2,999Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.	53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%	18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Townsend and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Townsend and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S.	$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S.	$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S.	$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest 93% above U.S.	$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Townsend and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1980Highest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#53 of 70 in VT
School district	North Middlesex	Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Bellows Falls Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	10.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.