Compare towns

Westminster vs Bennington vs Walpole

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 people working from home (23.1%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Walpole has the oldest population (median age 46.5).

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.

MeasureWestminsterBenningtonWalpole
People
Population
497Lowest
15,249Highest
3,690
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
-2.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.3±11.5Lowest
11% above U.S.
44.7±2.3
15% above U.S.
46.5±10.4Highest
20% above U.S.
Walpole and Bennington 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%
17.7%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.2%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
Westminster and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.7%±11.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.2%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
25.5%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Walpole and Bennington 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%
36.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
32.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.2%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.8%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4%±2.8
U.S.: 6.4%
Bennington and Walpole 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
$59,446±$7kLowest
26% below U.S.
$82,617±$16kHighest
about the U.S. average
Walpole 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±$39k
6% below U.S.
$213,300±$15kLowest
36% below U.S.
$319,800±$48kHighest
4% below U.S.
Walpole and Westminster 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.
$1,133±$63
20% below U.S.
$1,165±$150Highest
18% below U.S.
Walpole and Bennington 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.
$4,513
45% above U.S.
$6,078Highest
95% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
6.1%±43.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
68.8%±14.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
51.6%±21.9
U.S.: 51.1%
Bennington and Walpole 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%
13.2%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
58.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
69.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1967Highest
13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
13% above U.S.
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
23 min
13% below U.S.
Work from home
23.1%±15.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.1%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
7.2%±4.9Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Westminster and Bennington 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 #58 of 70 in VT #27 of 120 in NH
School district — Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 Fall Mountain Regional School District
High school in town — Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
14.7
—
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.