Compare towns
Westminster vs Ware vs Windham vs Hyde Park
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).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k 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 | Ware | Windham | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
10,048Highest |
594 |
513 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.6±10.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Windham 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%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Hyde Park 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest 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% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% 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% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Westminster 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. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$89,946±$10k 11% above U.S. |
| Windham and Hyde Park 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. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$221,800±$57kLowest 33% below 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. |
— | $1,306±$285Highest 8% below U.S. |
| Hyde Park 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. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,893Lowest 25% 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% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±47.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Hyde Park 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% |
9.9% 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% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Windham 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 | — | #59 of 70 in VT |
| 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.