Compare towns
Westminster vs Brookline vs Rockingham vs Athens
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 highest household income ($81k).
Rockingham has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Rockingham | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,999 |
531 |
4,807Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT |
46.4±2.6 8% above VT |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
| Westminster and Athens 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% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham and Westminster 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% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Rockingham and Athens 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 |
$70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% 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±$35k 14% below VT |
$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT |
$210,900±$14kLowest 33% below VT |
$240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
| Brookline and Westminster 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 |
$1,062±$101 14% below VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
| Brookline and Athens 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 |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,887 3% below VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7 VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest 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% |
16.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
61.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
28 min 21% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Brookline 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 | — | #65 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — | Rockingham School District | — |
| 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 | 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.