Compare towns
Westminster vs Petersham vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
Bordering WestminsterWestminster
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Petersham has the highest household income ($111k).
Walpole has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Petersham | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 497Lowest |
1,185 |
3,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
56.3±2.7Highest 45% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
| Petersham and Walpole 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% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Walpole 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% |
30.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Petersham and Walpole 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% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$110,750±$20kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Petersham and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$392,400±$20kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,679±$441Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
| Petersham and Walpole 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. |
$4,636 49% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Petersham 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% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Petersham 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 | — | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Petersham | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | None 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.