Compare towns
Westminster vs Barre vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Brookline has the most homeowners (84.9%).
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 | Barre | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 497Lowest |
8,412Highest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
| Brookline 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% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Barre 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±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480Lowest 11% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Brookline and Barre 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% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 26% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.