What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% 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	Bellows Falls
People
Population	2,999Highest	2,891Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.1%Highest VT: +2.8%	-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT	41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT
Kids under 18	18.2%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Bellows Falls and Westminster 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%	23.7%±5.7Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Westminster and Bellows Falls 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%	27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7%	8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7%
	Bellows Falls and Westminster 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	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT	$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT	$1,038±$109Highest 16% below VT
	Bellows Falls 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	$4,448Highest 12% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4%	43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Westminster and Bellows Falls 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%	25.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.2%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the VT average	20 minLowest 14% below VT
Work from home	27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9%	6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#53 of 70 in VT	—
School district	Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District	—
High school in town	Bellows Falls Union High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.6	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.