Compare towns

Westminster vs Ware 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).
Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
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.

MeasureWestminsterWareWestminsterWalpole
People
Population
497Lowest
10,048Highest
2,999
3,690
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+2%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.
43.1±4.7Lowest
11% 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%
19.1%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
18.2%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.2%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
Westminster and Walpole 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%
20.6%±3.4
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%
24%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%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±3.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4%±2.8
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$81,000±$22k
about the U.S. average
$67,475±$15kLowest
16% below U.S.
$71,491±$4k
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.
$289,700±$28k
13% below U.S.
$273,800±$35kLowest
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.
$1,043±$109
26% below U.S.
$916±$126
35% below U.S.
$1,165±$150Highest
18% below U.S.
Walpole and Ware 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.
$4,237
36% above U.S.
$4,063Lowest
30% above U.S.
$6,078Highest
95% 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%
49.2%±7.5
U.S.: 51.1%
51.6%±21.9
U.S.: 51.1%
Ware and Walpole 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%
8.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
11.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
72.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
88.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
69.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1960
20 yrs older than U.S.
1980Highest
same as U.S.
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
13% above U.S.
28 min
8% above 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%
12.3%±3.8
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 #267 of 282 in MA #53 of 70 in VT #27 of 120 in NH
School district — Ware Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District Fall Mountain Regional School District
High school in town — Ware Junior/Senior High School Bellows Falls Union High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.1Highest
10.6Lowest
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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.