Compare towns
Westminster vs Gorham vs Halifax vs Brookline
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).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Brookline has the oldest population (median age 45.1).
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 | Gorham | Halifax | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
18,300Highest |
847 |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.6±13.1 4% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Halifax 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22k about the U.S. average |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$875±$154 38% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Gorham 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. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$4,991 60% above U.S. |
$5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Brookline 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | Halifax School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.