What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).

Bakersfield has the most homeowners (94%).

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	Westminster	Bakersfield
People
Population	497Lowest	1,109Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-3.7% VT: +2.8%
Median age	43.3±11.5Lowest about the VT average	46.4±8Highest 8% above VT
	Bakersfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9%	13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4%	21.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4%
	Bakersfield 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 VT: 43.8%	39.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±3.5Lowest VT: 7%	7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7%
	Bakersfield 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±$22kLowest about the VT average	$83,462±$18kHighest about the VT average
	Bakersfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$313,600±$39kHighest about the VT average	$271,300±$19kLowest 14% below VT
	Westminster and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$749±$315Lowest 39% below VT	$1,200±$327Highest about the VT average
	Bakersfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,480Highest 11% below VT	$3,823Lowest 24% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	18.8%±100Highest VT: 48.4%
	Bakersfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	7.3%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	94%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 26% above VT	33 minHighest 40% above VT
Work from home	23.1%±15.9Highest VT: 16.9%	14.2%±7Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Westminster and Bakersfield 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	—
School district	—	Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.