Compare towns
Westminster vs Townsend 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).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Townsend | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 497Lowest |
9,100Highest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% 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% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Brookline 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 |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Townsend 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. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Brookline 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.