Compare towns
Westminster vs Brandon vs Halifax
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 highest household income ($81k).
Brandon has the shortest commute (24 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 | Brandon | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 497Lowest |
4,120Highest |
847 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
| Brandon 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% |
19.2%±4.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
22.6%±7.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Halifax and Brandon 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% |
32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
44.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brandon 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 VT average |
$64,180±$12k 21% below VT |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below VT |
| Westminster and Brandon 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 |
$227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
$267,500±$21k 16% below VT |
| Westminster and Halifax 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 |
$1,064±$225Highest 14% below VT |
$875±$154 29% below VT |
| Brandon and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480 11% below VT |
$4,241Lowest 16% below VT |
$4,991Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
57.1%±73.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Halifax and Brandon 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% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
86.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1951 25 yrs older than VT |
1968Highest 8 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.9%±11.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #69 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | — | Otter Valley Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.