Compare towns
Westminster vs Athol vs Halifax
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 expensive homes ($314k median).
Athol has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
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 | Athol | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 497Lowest |
12,011Highest |
847 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Athol 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% |
21.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Halifax 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% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Halifax 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athol and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
$875±$154 38% below U.S. |
| Athol and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480 44% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,991Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Halifax 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% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Athol-Royalston | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | — | Athol High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.