Compare towns

Westminster vs Peru vs Windham 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).
Peru has the oldest population (median age 52.6).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k 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.

MeasureWestminsterPeruWindhamBrookline
People
Population
497Lowest
630Highest
594
531
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
-3.9%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+1.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.3±11.5Lowest
11% above U.S.
52.6±4.8Highest
35% above U.S.
44.2±7.4
14% above U.S.
45.1±2.7
16% above U.S.
Peru 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
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 22%
17.5%±7.9
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%
29.7%±6.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
23.2%±8.1
U.S.: 17.2%
19.6%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Peru and Windham 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%
28%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
48.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
41.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.2%±3.5
U.S.: 6.4%
3.2%±2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
0.8%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.2%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$81,000±$22k
about the U.S. average
$90,750±$18k
12% above U.S.
$94,500±$12kHighest
17% above U.S.
$80,833±$16kLowest
about the U.S. average
Windham and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$313,600±$39k
6% below U.S.
$267,400±$15kLowest
20% below U.S.
$353,900±$20kHighest
6% above U.S.
$290,700±$37k
13% below U.S.
Windham and Westminster 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.
— —
$1,732±$232Highest
23% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,480
44% above U.S.
$3,805Lowest
22% above U.S.
$5,951Highest
91% above U.S.
$5,000
60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
6.1%±43.8
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±100Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.2%±94
U.S.: 51.1%
47.8%±94.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Brookline and Windham 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%
3.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
9.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
98.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
84.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1983Highest
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 min
13% above U.S.
31 minHighest
18% above U.S.
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
28 min
8% above U.S.
Work from home
23.1%±15.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.3%±4.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
20.5%±5.6
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 — — —
On TownTapestry
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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.