Compare towns
Westminster vs Amherst vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Amherst has the highest household income ($153k).
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k 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 | Westminster | Amherst | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 497Lowest |
11,861Highest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amherst and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amherst and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22k about the U.S. average |
$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Westminster 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 | #20 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Souhegan Coop High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.