Compare towns
Westminster vs Upton vs Halifax vs Westminster
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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Westminster has the shortest commute (24 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 | Upton | Halifax | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
8,189Highest |
847 |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Halifax 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Upton 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$948±$599Highest 33% below U.S. |
$875±$154 38% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Upton and Westminster 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,991 60% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Upton 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% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Halifax School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| 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.