Compare towns

Westminster vs Hanover 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 people working from home (23.1%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($755k median).
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k median).

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.

MeasureWestminsterHanoverBrookline
People
Population
497Lowest
14,845Highest
531
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+6.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.9%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.3±11.5
11% above U.S.
41.8±1.4Lowest
7% 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%
26.1%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
20%±6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Westminster and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.7%±11.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.1%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.6%±4.2
U.S.: 17.2%
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%
U.S.: 35.7%
56.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
41.1%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.2%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.1%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.2%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
Hanover 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±$22k
about the U.S. average
$189,803±$23kHighest
135% above U.S.
$80,833±$16kLowest
about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$313,600±$39k
6% below U.S.
$755,400±$39kHighest
127% above U.S.
$290,700±$37kLowest
13% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$749±$315Lowest
47% below U.S.
$1,845±$341Highest
31% above U.S.
$1,732±$232
23% above U.S.
Hanover and Brookline 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.
$9,342Highest
200% above U.S.
$5,000
60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
6.1%±43.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
65%±23.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
47.8%±94.7
U.S.: 51.1%
Hanover 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%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.2%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
84.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
84.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1978Highest
2 yrs older than U.S.
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 min
13% above U.S.
32 minHighest
21% above U.S.
28 minLowest
8% above U.S.
Work from home
23.1%±15.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.6%±4.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
20.6%±5.2
U.S.: 15.1%
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 #69 of 282 in MA —
School district — Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical —
High school in town — South Shore Vocational Technical High —
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.3
—
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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.