Compare towns

Westminster vs Ware 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).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Brookline has the most homeowners (84.9%).

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.

MeasureWestminsterWareBrookline
People
Population
497Lowest
10,048Highest
531
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.9%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.3±11.5
11% above U.S.
43.1±4.7Lowest
11% 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%
19.1%±3.5Lowest
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%
20.6%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.6%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Ware and Westminster 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%
24%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
41.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.2%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.2%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
Ware 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±$22kHighest
about the U.S. average
$67,475±$15kLowest
16% below U.S.
$80,833±$16k
about the U.S. average
Westminster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$313,600±$39kHighest
6% below U.S.
$289,700±$28kLowest
13% below U.S.
$290,700±$37k
13% below U.S.
Westminster and Brookline 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.
$1,043±$109
26% below U.S.
$1,732±$232Highest
23% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,480
44% above U.S.
$4,237Lowest
36% above U.S.
$5,000Highest
60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
6.1%±43.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
64.3%±16.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
47.8%±94.7
U.S.: 51.1%
Ware 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%
11.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
72.3%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
84.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1960
20 yrs older than U.S.
1975Highest
5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
13% above U.S.
28 minLowest
8% above U.S.
28 minLowest
8% above U.S.
Work from home
23.1%±15.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.8Lowest
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 #267 of 282 in MA —
School district — Ware —
High school in town — Ware Junior/Senior High School —
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.1
—
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.