Compare towns
Westminster vs Hardwick vs Brookline 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 most kids (28.4% under 18).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Brookline has the shortest commute (28 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 | Hardwick | Brookline | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
2,965Highest |
531 |
847 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
| Hardwick and Brookline 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% |
15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 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%±11.4 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.6%±7.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Halifax 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% |
33.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
44.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brookline and Hardwick 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 VT average |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below VT |
| Hardwick 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±$39kHighest about the VT average |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$267,500±$21k 16% below VT |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 |
$875±$406 29% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$875±$154 29% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480 11% below VT |
$4,351Lowest 14% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$4,991 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
57.1%±73.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Halifax and Hardwick 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% |
9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
29 min 23% above VT |
28 minLowest 21% above VT |
33 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 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 | #68 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | — | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | — | Hazen Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.