What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).

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	Chester
People
Population	2,999Highest	2,992Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-4.7%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT	49.7±4.7Lowest 15% above VT
	Westminster and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9%	14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Westminster and Chester 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%	29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4%
	Chester 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%	33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7%	5.1%±4Highest VT: 7%
	Chester 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	$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT
	Westminster and Chester 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	$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT
	Westminster and Chester 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	$960±$44Highest 22% below VT
	Chester 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	$4,262Highest 15% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4%	11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	8.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	7%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.2%Highest VT: 73.2%	86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT	1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest about the VT average	28 minHighest 18% above VT
Work from home	27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9%	14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Westminster and Chester 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	#49 of 70 in VT
School district	Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District	Green Mountain Unified School District #77
High school in town	Bellows Falls Union High School	Green Mountain Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.6Highest	8.7Lowest
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.