Compare towns
Westminster vs Ware vs Brookline vs Windham
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%).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Ware | Brookline | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
10,048Highest |
531 |
594 |
| 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. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Windham 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%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest 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%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Ware 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% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest 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±$22k about the U.S. average |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Windham 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. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Windham 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. |
$1,043±$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. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% 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% |
41.2%±94 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% |
9.9% 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% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
20.5%±5.6 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 | 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.