Compare towns
Westminster vs Orange vs Halifax
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 highest household income ($81k).
Orange has the most renters (30% rent).
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 | Orange | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 497Lowest |
7,573Highest |
847 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Orange 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% |
22.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3 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%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Halifax and Orange 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% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Orange 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 U.S. average |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$63,889±$7k 21% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$267,500±$21k 20% below U.S. |
| 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 47% below U.S. |
$775±$233 45% below U.S. |
$875±$154Highest 38% below U.S. |
| Halifax and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480 44% above U.S. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,991Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Orange 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% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 13% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.