Compare towns
Westminster vs Brookline vs Newbury
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 people working from home (27%).
Brookline has the youngest population (median age 45.1).
Newbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
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 | Brookline | Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
531Lowest |
2,169 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT |
53.9±5.4Highest 25% above VT |
| Newbury 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% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.9%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline 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% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±4 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Newbury 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% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
40.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Newbury 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±$4k 12% below VT |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average |
$62,316±$6kLowest 23% below VT |
| Brookline and Westminster 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 |
$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT |
$285,000±$24k 10% below VT |
| Brookline and Newbury 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 |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,080±$123 12% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063 19% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$3,826Lowest 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±11.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 min 21% above VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21%±17.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Newbury 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — | Oxbow Unified Union School District #91 |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | — | 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.