Compare towns
Westminster vs Brookfield vs Hartland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($99k).
Hartland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
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 | Brookfield | Hartland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999 |
1,486Lowest |
3,460Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
55.8±5.1Highest 29% above VT |
| Hartland and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.4%±5.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Hartland 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% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
36.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$86,136±$23k 6% above VT |
| Brookfield and Hartland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$348,600±$39kHighest 10% above VT |
| Hartland and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$975±$306Highest 21% below VT |
— |
| Brookfield 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 |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$6,437Highest 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
31.1%±89.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Hartland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
91.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
23 minLowest 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.4%±6.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield 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 | — | #29 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Hartland School District |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.