Compare towns
Westminster vs Bennington vs Walpole vs Windham
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).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Walpole has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Bennington | Walpole | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
15,249Highest |
3,690 |
594 |
| 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. |
44.2±7.4 14% 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%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest 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% |
23.2%±8.1 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest 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±$16k about the U.S. average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Windham and Walpole 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±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Windham and Walpole 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. |
$5,951 91% 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% |
41.2%±94 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer 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. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Windham 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 | 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.