Compare towns
Westminster vs Sheldon vs Westminster vs Walpole
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).
Sheldon has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
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 | Sheldon | Westminster | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
2,267 |
2,999 |
3,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
| Westminster 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% |
23.7%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Sheldon 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Walpole 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 |
$78,533±$25k about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Walpole 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±$39k 6% below U.S. |
$272,400±$61kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Walpole 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. |
$1,286±$379Highest 9% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Walpole 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. |
$3,578Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Westminster 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% |
5.1% 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% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.