What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).

Barre has the most renters (49.6% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Westminster	Barre
People
Population	2,999Lowest	8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.1%Highest VT: +2.8%	-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT	42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average
Kids under 18	18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9%	13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Westminster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4%	19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Westminster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.3%Highest VT: 43.8%	36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7%	3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7%
	Westminster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,491±$4kHighest 12% below VT	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT
	Westminster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT	$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT	$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT
	Barre and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,063Lowest 19% below VT	$5,192Highest 3% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4%	34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Westminster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%	17.3%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.2%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT	1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the VT average	19 minLowest 21% below VT
Work from home	27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#53 of 70 in VT	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	Bellows Falls Union High School	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.6Lowest	10.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

VT 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.