Compare towns
Westminster vs Lancaster 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).
Lancaster has the highest household income ($135k).
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.
| Measure | Westminster | Lancaster | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 497Lowest |
8,606Highest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%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% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Lancaster 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 |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
| Lancaster 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. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Nashoba | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.